Levels of service

These levels are set out by NHS England and outline what all families can expect from their local health visiting service:

Community
Health visitors have a broad knowledge of community needs and resources available e.g. children’s centres and self-help groups and work to develop these and make sure families know about them.

Universal (the five key visits)
Health visiting teams ensure that every new mother and child have access to a health visitor, receive development checks and receive good information about healthy start issues such as parenting and immunisation.

Universal Plus
Families can access timely, expert advice from a health visitor when they need it on specific issues such as postnatal depression, weaning or sleepless children.

Universal Partnership Plus
Health visitors provide ongoing support, playing a key role in bringing together relevant local services to help families with continuing complex needs, for example where a child has a long-term condition.