Gonnago

Was chatting with my health visitor this week and she didnt know if they had HVs in Australia, she knew that there was a system similar to the 'little red book' we have here in U.K. but didnt know if there were HVs......not that I am a fan anyway, but just curious.

tillysmum

HI I have recently moved from UK and was a HV there. I am currently in Queensland where they have a 'similar' role but there are similar roles in most states. Definately in SA, Vic and NSW not sure about WA but sure someone will let you know about that.

Gonnago

Thank you Tillysmum it is SA we are heading so thats really helpful.

sending Karma (to kiss ass because I said im not a fan of HVs)

tillysmum

Your welcome
but please dont tar all HV's with the same brush, some of us are actually quite nice and normal (well most of the time)

asher

Hi I hope you are all settled in well, long time no see!

tillysmum

Hi Asher
Yeh getting there, slowly finding our way round and looking for our piece of heaven

quoll

Gosh how I wish we had health visitors here! The closest is the maternal and child health nurses but they are few and far between and reluctant to visit in the home and much prefer the clinic visits.

Jan4kids

Only a midwife came to see me at home , S.A Don't recall a H.V. Similar is available I'm pretty certain.

bridie

I had one at home HV visit, after that we go to the clinic.

I was home a whole week before anyone came to check on me, luckily my mum was here or I might have been going spare by then.

They are very lapse, dont know if that's a WA thing or Aus-wide, but they came after a week, then the next time she didnt say whether she was coming here or me to her so I assumed she was coming here. Sat here waiting, nothing.... after a couple of hours I phoned and she said I was meant to go to her. But you'd think they would have rung to check when I didnt show in case something was wrong?!

we had the visit the week after the birth, then six weeks, then three months and her next one is eight months.....

IRBaboon

Hi Birdie, are you back in Freo now?

sme

That would be the Child Health Nurse - they are similar to HV but not quite (I prefer HV role). They don't seem to do as much home visiting as their UK counter parts.

bridie

First off, it's Bridie and secondly no, never lived in Freo....

sme

I think there was a poster called Birdie who lived in Freo quite a while back.

IRBaboon

Sorry Bridie, I read your avatar & got you mixed up with Birdie who lived in Freo but went to New Zealand for a year. My apologies!

pam0512

Hi all,

I'm a HV from the UK now working (???) as a child health nurse in WA.....

I've found it very strange to adapt to the way they work over here, as I know several of my British migrant collegues have found..... The home visiting part of the service is non-existant BUT......not for the want of us UKers wanting to do more home visiting, unfortunately management, Aussie child health nurses and beaurocracy dictates

I'm sorry to those of you who have had, or feel they have had, poor service but don't blame all the workers, we are trying (very trying on times my husband tells me!!) to make a better service but as migrants ourselves it's very difficult to be heard or even taken seriously.... All I can say is I hope I give a good service to my clients, I try my best, but management and the heirarchy do make it very difficult......from independant caseload management in the UK I have come to targets and timeframes and passing on anything remotely challenging or demanding to numerous other agencies cos i'm told I haven't got the time to deal with them as I have to do "checks" constantly!!!:curse:

Please accept my apologies from all of us trying to get you a good service....we will continue to try, promise, then maybe you will feel we are 'worth it' x x x