Stay up to date with appointments and immunisations
During the first five years of your child’s life, you will be offered appointments to review how you and your child are getting on. Some of these appointments will include a review of your child’s health, growth and overall development, others will be to provide the recommended childhood immunisations.
Attending these appointments will help you and your child to stay healthy. Please register with a local GP as soon as you can. Find a GP near you
The health visiting service is now offering face to face appointments to all our contacts and health reviews.
Why is it important?
Birth to age 5 years is a very important time when growth can be very fast. For most children this will happen without any difficulties. The national Healthy Child Programme provided by the Health Visiting Service offers all parents a schedule of health and development reviews which provide an opportunity to talk about how your child is doing and explore any concerns you may have with a professional from the health visiting team. Getting early help (including information or a referral for your child) can support your child to be happy and healthy.
One of the best ways to protect your baby against diseases such as measles, rubella, tetanus and meningitis is through immunisation. Your GP practice will invite you to take your baby for the first injections from eight weeks of age.
Your GP can also help if you are feeling low or experiencing symptoms of post-natal depression or you can refer yourself to Talk Changes our local talking therapy service.
First point of contact
Before your baby is born (around the 28th week)
Antenatal contact
Midwives are the key professionals leading antenatal care. Health visitors offer antenatal care to all families in City and Hackney. Face to face contacts are provided by Public Health Midwives for those with identified vulnerabilities.
After your baby is born
The Health Visiting service works closely with your midwife to make contact with you shortly after your baby is born to introduce the service. The contact details for your local health visiting team can be found inside your Personal Child Health Record (red book). It is important to take your child’s red book to every healthcare appointment. The red book can help you to keep up to date with any appointments your child is due, including the recommended immunisations
Childhood immunisation
The childhood immunisation programme is provided through your GP practice. If you would like to talk to a health professional about immunisations you can contact the nurse practitioner at your GP practice, they will be happy to answer your questions or respond to any concerns you may have. Remember, immunisations are really important to help keep your child and community safe, and should be given at the correct age, delaying them can put your child at risk.
Appointment timeline 0-6 months
| Age | What | Why | By whom | Where |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5–8 days (up until 1 year) | Blood spot test (heel prick) | To test for 9 conditions that include cystic fibrosis and sickle cell disease | Midwife/health visitor | Carried out at home (if you are new into the UK or new to the area please contact your health visitor to discuss the blood spot test) |
| 0-3 months | Newborn Hearing Screen | Early detection of any hearing problems – ideally to have the screening in the first 4 weeks) | New Born Hearing Screening | Babies with a GP in Hackney or the City can go to Homerton Hospital and local health centres |
| 10-14 days | New Birth Visit | To assess that mother and baby are well and to introduce the Healthy Child Programme | Health Visitor | Carried out at home |
| 4 weeks | Family support visit | Extra support for first time parents and those who may require additional health visiting support | Health Visitor | Various locations including; home, clinic or Children’s Centre |
| 6 – 8 weeks | Development Review | To assess that your baby is developing well, review feeding and maternal wellbeing | GP and Health Visitor | GP Surgery, Child Health Clinic, Children’s Centre |
| 8 weeks | 1st Primary Immunisation | 6-in-1 vaccine Pneumococcal (PCV) vaccine Rotavirus vaccine MenB |
Practice Nurse | GP surgery |
| 3 – 4 month visit | Family support visit | For those who may require additional health visiting support | Health Visitor | Various locations including; home, clinic or Children’s Centre |
| 12 weeks | 2nd Primary Immunisation | 6-in-1 vaccine (2nd dose) Rotavirus vaccine (2nd dose) |
Practice Nurse | GP surgery |
| 16 weeks | 3rd Primary Immunisation | 6-in-1 vaccine (3rd dose) Pneumococcal (PCV) vaccine (2nd dose) MenB (2nd dose) |
Practice Nurse | GP surgery |
Local services and information
- Hackney and City Health Visiting service
020 7683 4151 (9-5pm Monday–Friday)
huh-tr.hackneyandcityhv@nhs.net - Domestic violence support services
- Hackney parenting video
- Get help for your mental health (Talk changes)
- Parenting and mental health support for children, young people and their families
- Hackney Support for Early Years (Local Offer)
Peer support
The HENRY Peer Support team can help you to access the support you and your child need in Hackney and the City of London. One-to-one volunteers have lived experience and receive training to support families across a number of topics, including health in pregnancy and your baby’s development. If you are pregnant or have a child under age 2 and would like one-to-one support in pregnancy and early parenting, or you are interested in volunteering, call the helpline on 020 8135 9228 (Monday to Friday, 9-5pm) or email hcvolunteer@henry.org.uk
National resources
- How to register with a GP
- Which healthcare professionals you will meet as a parent/parent to be
- Baby Buddy app
- Your baby's health and development reviews (NHS)
- Your baby's height and weight (NHS)
Parenting
Immunisation resources
- Childhood immunisation schedule (NHS)
- Vaccinations and newborn screening
- Vaccine Safety Information
- Herd Immunity film
- Childhood vaccinations information
Feedback
We value your feedback about the birth to five resource and the information we provide.