NATIONAL health experts are warning Hampshire County Council against making cuts to health visiting and school nursing services.

The council is proposing to save £6.8m from its public health budget and cut around 47 nursing posts, 12.5 per cent of the workforce. A public consultation ended on August 9.

The Royal College of Midwives, the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Sands, and the National Childbirth Trust wrote to the council outlining its concerns that the cuts will harm public health and actually additional costs.

Nursing Times reports that in their letter, the group called on the council to “re-examine as a matter of urgency” the impact of the proposed changes on pregnant women, babies, children and their families.

They warned against replacing face-to-face with digital support, stressing this was “untested” and that there was not enough evidence on its effectiveness as an alternative approach.

The letter said: “While we recognise the difficult decisions that Hampshire County Council faces in terms of being able to balance the budget, we ask that you re-examine as a matter of urgency the impact that the proposed changes will have on women before, during and after pregnancy, and on their babies. In our view, your proposals introduce unacceptable risks which will cause preventable harm and widen inequalities.”

As reported other organisations have also raised strong concerns including the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV).

Alison Morton, executive director of the iHV, which is also part of One Voice, said: “There is no doubt whatsoever that these short-sighted plans, designed to cut costs, will cause harm and cost the council and wider society much more in the long run. Babies, young children and their families are being let down by this postcode lottery - we need to listen and do better.”

Savings are proposed in four areas: substance misuse treatment; stop smoking; sexual health; and 0-19 Public Health Nursing, which includes health visiting and school nursing.

Cllr Liz Fairhurst, executive lead member for adult services and public health, said: “Thank you to everyone who has given their views. The county council’s public health service has worked hard to reduce its costs by improving efficiency and early intervention and prevention, thereby limiting the impact of savings on front line service delivery. However, opportunities to further reduce costs are getting harder, and extra pressures mean that an additional £6.8 million must now be found from a total budget of £52.9 million in 2021/22, to help the County Council to balance its overall budget.”