Barnsley health visitors mark achievement at special ceremony in London

On 11 March 2015, NHS Change Day, four Barnsley health visitors from South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust will be one of 150 outstanding health visitors to receive their Fellowship from the Institute of Health Visiting.

Alison Addy, Belinda Gaskell, Tracy Lake and Sue Norman will attend a special ceremony in London – the first of its kind for the Institute of Health Visiting – which recognises the professional achievements of exceptional health visitors. They will form a new country-wide group of expert leaders who make a real difference to the health outcomes of children and their families.

Dr Cheryll Adams, Director of the Institute of Visiting, said: “Our Fellows are already really strengthening leadership in the health visiting profession and will now help develop the next generation of health visitors. So what better day, than NHS Change Day, to celebrate 150 health visiting change agents who demonstrate there is immense talent in our profession and who will lead the way to ensure excellence in practice.”

The Fellowship scheme was launched in May 2014 and set out to identify and acknowledge 150 exceptional health visitors. To become a Fellow, Alison, Belinda, Tracy and Sue went through a rigorous application process in which they were assessed for their contributions to health visiting and also to children, families and communities.  They all have areas of expertise to improve outcomes for children and families across Barnsley.

Steven Michael OBE, Trust chief executive said, “It’s fantastic that our health visitors are being recognised for this exceptional achievement. It acknowledges the excellent work going on in Barnsley across the borough to improve outcomes for young children and their families

“The Fellows will play an important role in helping to strengthen leadership in the health visiting profession and to help develop the next generation of health visitors.”