Suffolk Health Visitors

Generally the support provided has been good and my individual health visitor has been lovely and so helpful but they have not been able to help with eating issues and the referral for sleep problems never materialised.

I find it very confusing that even when my child has been assessed to be at a much lower developmental stage and by quite some margin that there is no action taken. I've just been told that it will be monitored but they are so far behind I can not see how things will just catch up. There is no support to get the help that is needed, it appears to just be a delaying tactic.

Our health visitor based in East Bergholt has been very good, so attentive, friendly and helpful. They have been quick to reply to email or phone messages and my child has had their 1yr check on time and their 2 yr check slightly late but I've been very happy with the support provided.

My wife phoned about our baby boy to ask for an appointment, the health visitor said she needs to get back to her as needed to ask a questions about our request, upon ringing back my wife was busy so I took the call. The health visitor asked to speak to my wife and I explained she was busy, throughout the call I was then made to feel like I wasn't good enough to be speaking about my son and they want to speak to my wife instead. As a father throughout the whole pregnancy and birthing experience I never felt accepted or involved as much as my wife. The professionals really made me feel like I was just in the way. Something seriously needs to change and more support offered to dad's that try their hardest to be involved. I have as much right as my wife to make these calls.

I have recently given birth and unfortunately the service I have received from the Health Visitors has been very disappointing from the start. Communication and correspondence has been unprofessional if not lacking. When calling to speak to someone, you can never get through and you end up leaving a voice message, only to have to wait hours before anyone to gets back to you. When told that I would get a message regarding arranging the next visit, which was pencilled in for a particular week, I didn’t receive one. Instead, I got a letter in the post on the Friday for an appointment on the following Monday, a date that I had said I couldn’t do. The visits themselves have been fine and I haven’t had a problem with the health advisor themselves, although it would have been nice to have seen the same person throughout. The problems are with the organisation and communication.

My health visitor was (name removed) and he was amazing with my second pregnancy. I’d had miscarriages previously and we were experiencing a lot of stress towards the end of my most recent pregnancy. He was supportive, made referrals and called and text to check in with me. There was no judgement about my parenting decisions which I’ve had from previous HV’s and he made me feel reassured in my choices.
I’m gutted he’s left the service now but he restored a lot of lost faith for me. I only hope they have more of him!

Great support and advice given by my health visitor and it has been good to have the same person the whole way through.

Friendly attitude. Health visitor listened to me and gave me relevant information which I understood. Would have been good to be told where to go / what to do if advice didn't work. Health visitors are really important, particularly to vulnerable Mums.

I am still awaiting an 'official diagnosis' for my child who I know is autistic. I tell them about the behavior, but they seem to prefer to listen to the school, who frankly know my child much less than I do as a parent! You fight for a diagnosis but I know once we get it, there actually will be no support afterwards.