Health Visiting consists of developing, leading and managing activities that aim to promote health and social well-being, prevent health breakdown and ameliorate ill health through working with individuals, families, groups and communities. Through partnership working, health visitors seek to enable clients to take control of their lives whilst protecting vulnerable members of society. Public health work that promote social inclusion and reduces inequalities in health is central to health visiting practice.

The course focuses on promoting the health of children, families and groups in a community setting. It considers the issues involved in safeguarding the health of vulnerable children, families and populations. The overall aim is to develop an effective practitioner who is able to identify actual and potential health needs, stimulate an awareness of health needs, facilitate evidence based health enhancing activities and influence policy at all levels.

Important note for applicants

The government is committed to increasing the number of Health Visitors and, as a result, there are many more sponsorships available than usual. The London Deanery is coordinating all applications for Health Visiting 2013. For more information and to apply, visit The London Deanery website.

If you would like to discuss the Health Visiting programme at LSBU, please contact the course director, Joy Power at powerjd@lsbu.ac.uk or 020 7815 8396.

Course modules

BSc (core units)

• Developing professional practice for health visiting
• Evaluating research for health care
• A public health approach to promoting health and well-being
• Mental health and well-being of children and families
• Protecting vulnerable children
• Developing leadership and management skills for SCPHN

PgDip (core units)

• Research methodology and strategy(subject to validation)
• Developing professional practice for health visiting
• A public health approach to promoting health and well-being
• Protecting vulnerable children
• Mental health and well-being of children and families
• Developing leadership and management skills for SCPHN

Optional component

• Community practitioner nurse prescribing (V100)

For further details on individual course units, visit our online CPPD prospectus.

Employability and academic progression

LSBU is committed to supporting you develop your employability and succeed in getting a job after you have graduated. Your qualification will certainly help, but in a competitive market you also need to work on your employability, and on your career search. Our Employability Service will support you in developing your skills, finding a job, interview techniques, work experience or an internship, and will help you assess what you need to do to get the job you want at the end of your course. LSBU offers a comprehensive Employability Service, with a range of initiatives to complement your studies, including:

• direct engagement from employers who come in to interview and talk to students
• Job Shop and on-campus recruitment agencies to help your job search
• mentoring and work shadowing schemes.