1. Specialist Community Public Health Nursing (SCPHN) What is it?
Dr. Jane March-McDonald Programme Lead

3. What do SCPHN’s do? SCPHNs work in public health roles. Upstream work.
Registered Nurses or Midwives
Registered on the 3rd part of the NMC register upon successful completion of SCPHN Programme
May have their area of practice annotated e.g.. Health visitor, School Nurse, Occupational Health Nurse, Sexual Health Nurse

4. Health Visitor
Work with individuals, families and communities to promote health and wellbeing. 6 Key early years high impact areas
Transition to parenthood and the Early weeks Maternal Mental Health
Breastfeeding
Healthy weight, Healthy Nutrition
Managing Minor Illness, Accident Reduction
Health Wellbeing and Development of Under Five Child

5. School Nurse
Work in School Nursing Teams in the community and are attached to Named Schools
Work with children and young people 5-19and their families
Identify vulnerable families and provide/refer to services to provide targeted intervention
Deliver Screen Programmes
Deliver Immunization Programmmes
Safeguarding

6. Occupational Health Nurses
Work either in teams or independently
Private, NHS or local Authority settings
Screening and Surveillance
Health Promotion and Health Education
Health Protection
Health Rehabilitation
Risk Assessment

7. Sexual Health Nurse
Work in clinic setting in a hospital or community setting
Work with individuals or in relation to vulnerable groups
Develop sexual health programmes and services

8. Key attributes Leadership Innovation and evaluate
Research and Evidence Based Practice
Take a wider population approach to health
Committed to addressing the health and social inequalities agenda
Regarded as credible experts in their field of PH
Confident, autonomous workers
Team leaders

9. Can Any Nurse/Midwife Be A SCPHN?
YES!
Any nurse or midwife* who has undertaken a recognised NMC pre registration programme of education (children’s, adult, mental health or midwifery) can become a SCPHN.
You can enter SCPHN training directly from a fully completed pre registration programme.
* direct entry midwives will need to keep their registration active.

10. What experience and knowledge do I need to be a health visitor?
Good insight into the professional pathway role.
Shadow or speak to practitioner if at all possible.
Keep abreast of changes within the NHS that relate to the provision of community services, children's services and public health. Read a journal relevant to your chosen field
Familiarise yourself with policy drivers e.g. the Healthy Child Programme, 0-19 (DH 2009), Call to Action (DH 2011)
Familiarise yourself with the Trust- PH agenda and targets
Be explicit about how previous experience will support your new role
Think about transferable skills
Be clear about your leadership potential

11. What Programme Do I Need To Study?
You will need to undertake an NMC validated SCPHN programme.
BSc (degree level) or Post Graduate Diploma (masters level) in Public Health, depending upon the University
Entry criteria will differ between Universities depending upon their regulations
Full-time 52 week or part time 104 week
Designed to meet the Standards of proficiencies for specialist community public health nurses [SCPHN] (NMC 2004)
Successful completion of this programme will enable you to register on Part 3 of the NMC register with the annotation of ’HV, SN, SH, OH’

12. What Does The Programme Consist Of?
45 weeks of programmed study, with 50% theory and 50% practice.
In addition the programme contains 6 weeks annual leave.

13. What Subjects Will I Learn?
Community partnerships and collaboration
Theory /Research underpinning skills of your professional field
Policy (who makes policy, what policy looks like, the function of policy)
Leadership and management
Evidenced Based Practice, Research and Epidemiology

14. How Is The Programme Funded?
You will need to secure sponsorship from one of the local NHS providers of Children's and Families services
Occupational Health/Sexual Health NHS Provider
Private Business
Self Funded

15. How do I get Sponsorship
Community Trusts are advertising SCPHN training opportunities via NHS Jobs so please keep a close eye on the website
Selection and recruitment is undertaken by an application and interview process, just as if you were applying for a post
. As a sponsored student you will normally receive a fixed term contact with a provider organisation.

16. How do I stand out from the crowd?
Be familiar with the role
Read and be up to date- what's going on?
Undertake level 6/7 module- Demonstrate your academic ability
Be familiar with the values that underpin the profession
Link your past professional experience to the role
Avoid drawing on personal experience/fixed ideals - such as being a parent ! Remember everyone is different.