Family nurse programme expanded

The Family Nurse Partnership is set to receive a ?30 million expansion in order to help support young people with parenting skills.

Health minister Ann Keen announced the boost to the programme which is run by the Department of Health and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

The project sees nurses making home visits to vulnerable first-time young parents and is currently being tested in ten areas in England.

Nurses attempt to build close supportive relationships with families and support young parents in improving their parenting skills as well as becoming more self-sufficient.

Ann Keen illustrated how the programme was already showing progress and that the extra ?30 million was intended to expand the partnership over the next three years.

“This extra investment will give more PCTs [primary care trusts] and local authorities the opportunity to use the programme, build the UK evidence base and make sure that learning is shared across universal services.”

Also this week the health minister Ivan Lewis announced the release of the Nutrition Action Plan which is designed to help tackle malnutrition in older people in hospitals and care homes.