Health and social work services

Tender description

Lancashire County Council is seeking to procure an integrated 0-19 Healthy Child Programme (HCP) for the district areas served by Lancashire County Council (LCC). The Health Visiting service and School Nursing services form the main service requirements for the provision of the Healthy Child Programme. The Healthy Child Programme (HCP) is the early intervention and prevention Public Health Programme that lies at the heart of LCC's Universal Services for Children and Families. Aims of the Healthy Child Programme include: — improving overall health outcomes for children and young people, — detecting and supporting need early, by offering early interventions, health and development screening and support, — providing additional levels of support to families and children and young people with further needs. The 0-19 HCP provides an invaluable opportunity to identify families that are in need of additional support and children who are at risk of poor outcomes. Vision screening is an integral part of the universal delivery of the national Healthy Child Programme (HCP) 0-19 years, and meets the criteria laid down by the National Screening Committee, which recommends that all children should be screened for visual impairment between 4 and 5 years of age. The Service will provide multi-faceted approaches in order to improve breastfeeding initiation and prevalence rates in Lancashire, therefore supporting a reduction in health inequalities. The service will contribute to promoting a social and cultural shift where breastfeeding is recognised as the conventional way to feed an infant. A number of co-ordinated evidence based oral health interventions will be delivered across Lancashire, driven by local need and incorporating best practice to support the population to make improved lifestyle choices that will benefit their long term oral health.