Mum champions service supporting Wiltshire families
A service which a Malmesbury mum says took her “from rock bottom to being in a really good place” will continue after HCRG Care Group was chosen to continue providing key family services for Wiltshire County Council until 2029.
Goldie Thomson, aged 21, wants to raise awareness of the positive impact of the Family Nurse Partnership programme, which has supported her through her pregnancy and the first 21 months of her daughter Olivia’s life.
She said: “I would not be where I am today without the help that the service has given me, it is fantastic and more mums should know about it.”
Over the past two years, Goldie has received regular visits from nurse Tracy who has provided her with invaluable mental health support and advice to help her daughter’s development.
Goldie said: “Tracy has seen me grow from rock bottom to being in a really good place. She is such a genuine lady who cares so much, wants the best for me and is always going out of her way to be helpful. When you are a younger mum it can feel like people are judging you but I haven’t felt like that at all.”
The Family Nurse Partnership is part of Wiltshire’s public health nursing service, run by HCRG Care Group on behalf of Wiltshire Council.
The services, commissioned by Wiltshire Council, include 0-5 services (health visiting), 5-19 services, Family Nurse Partnership, and Baby Steps.
HCRG Care Group’s original contract was awarded in 2016, with the company tasked with creating a service focused on the needs of Wiltshire’s families, with services provided within county borders. This was delivered by 2019, and the service continued to support families – including continuing visits throughout the pandemic – since then.
Pat Birchall, Chief Operating Officer at HCRG Care Group, said: “We are delighted to be able to build on the work we have done to transform services to change people’s lives across Wiltshire over the past seven years. This is testament to our amazing staff who consistently deliver a high quality service to families in our local communities.”
HCRG Care Group has been responsible for the service since 2016. This year the service received a ‘good’ rating from the CQC, with areas of outstanding practice highlighted, and has a gold rating from Unicef’s Baby Friendly initiative.
