Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have achieved their target of 4,200 extra health visitors by 2015.

The Government is committed to growing the health visitor workforce by 4,200 full-time equivalents (FTEs) by April 2015, and transforming health visiting services to improve health outcomes and contribute to reducing health inequalities. The most recent management information (December 2014) published by NHS England estimates an indicative count of 11,310 FTE health visitors: some 3,218 more than the May 2010 baseline, representing an increase of 40% so far. In addition, there are approximately 1,036 health visitors who are due to complete training by the end of March 2015.