NCT Watch

The Health Select Committee heard that children’s centres needed to integrate with communities if they were to reach families in deprived areas. When asked if there was a model of an ideal early years programme that could reduce health inequalities, Edward Melhuish, Executive Director of National Evaluation of Sure Start, said there was evidence from Sure Start that if they worked to integrate themselves with local health services they would be more effective. He said this helped Sure Start reach families easily so that they could get the services they needed. He went on to say that the use of health visitors and midwives should be expanded and their training improved. He also stated that more cross-agency training was needed so that the different agencies involved could improve communications

Mr Melhuish noted that one example of a reduction in health inequalities the evaluation of Sure Start had shown was an increase in the uptake of immunisation in children. He did however concede that the Sure Start data used in the report had been collected after the control data and therefore may not be completely accurate. He emphasized that for a successful Sure Start programme, it should be well-embedded in the community, have strong leadership with a stable and well-trained staff, a good relationship with local health services and also the local authority.

New Deal for Communities was highlighted as successfully integrating health services and primary care and putting them under one roof so they were more accessible for communities – they also worked with Sure Start on community development issues.