HCRG Care Group awarded contract to deliver Warwickshire 0-19 Public Health Nursing Service
HCRG Care Group, the UK’s largest specialist community services provider, has been awarded a contract to deliver Warwickshire’s new integrated 0-19 public health nursing service, following a competitive procurement process led by Warwickshire County Council.
The award marks another major win for HCRG Care Group in community and public health service delivery. The five-year contract, which has the potential to be extended up to 10 years, will see it integrate health visiting and school nursing into a single, streamlined service for families across the county.
The Warwickshire service will provide joined-up health and wellbeing support for babies, children, young people, and families from birth through to young adulthood and will lead on local delivery of the national Healthy Child Programme.
The new contract further boosts HCRG Care Group’s already-strong presence in children and family services and is the latest in a series of wins for the group, cementing it as the leading partner for local authorities and NHS commissioners delivering neighbourhood-based services. The new contract in Warwickshire reflects the Group’s continued focus on delivering high-quality care and investing early to shape services and change community health for good.
HCRG Care Group has extensive experience in delivering public health nurse-led child and family services, with contracts in Bath and North East Somerset, Essex, Lancashire, Slough, Surrey and Wiltshire running through until 2030 and beyond. Its focus will be on providing high-quality, practical support that meets the real needs of families, and helping to improve health and wellbeing outcomes across the county. This will include targeted health initiatives to address specific health concerns such as obesity, school readiness and mental and emotional wellbeing support.
Pat Birchall, CEO at HCRG Care Group, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen to deliver Warwickshire’s public health nursing service for children and young people aged 0–19, and up to 25 for those with special educational needs or disabilities. Our approach will focus on ensuring families receive the right support at the right time, with greater accessibility, stronger community partnerships, and an emphasis on prevention and early intervention.
“We look forward to working closely with Warwickshire County Council and our new colleagues to ensure a smooth transition and continued excellence in care.
“By integrating health visiting and school nursing, we will create a cohesive service that delivers preventative, early intervention-focused care.
“We will use the time between now and when our contract begins to work with the current providers, South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT) and Compass (Connect for Health), to share information on the service as it stands and plan for the opportunities to develop even more exciting and efficient services for local families that ensure all children have the best start to life.”
Initiatives being planned so far include:
- A more integrated, responsive service with greater collaboration across health, education, and social care partners.
- Enhanced accessibility through a digital-first approach, ensuring families and young people can access support when they need it.
- Stronger early intervention through additional touchpoints with families in the early years.
- An increased school nursing presence, giving young people more opportunities to engage with health professionals.
Councillor Anne-Marie Sonko, Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care and Health at Warwickshire County Council, said: “We want to deliver the best service for families in Warwickshire. By bringing together the health visiting and school nursing service under one contract, residents will continue to receive a high-quality public health nursing service, with improved continuity of care.
“We strive to be a child-friendly county where children and young people in Warwickshire have access to the services they need to grow up healthy and resilient, so we look forward to enhancing this essential provision.”
HCRG Care Group will work closely with Warwickshire County Council, NHS partners, Compass, and transferring colleagues to ensure a smooth and professional transition, with continuity of care as a top priority.
