title: Changing practice: a review of the first contact service.
abstract: The provision of the first contact service by health visitors to mothers and babies is a key element of the commissioning and delivery of the health visiting services within the United Kingdom. Its history dates back to the first National Health Service Act, and there have been many interpretations about its purpose and perceived benefits. A project group within an inner London primary care trust sought to review the evidence base surrounding the first contact visit in order to develop a standard for practice, which would guide and promote consistent practice throughout the health visiting department. This article illustrates the way in which a group of practitioners can work together to review service design and delivery.
authors.affiliation: City University and City & Hackney Teaching Primary Care Trust.
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Newland
authors.forename: Sharin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baldwin
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Demeza
mesh_terms: D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003625:Data Collection; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006792:House Calls; D006801:Humans; D008131:London; D020380:Needs Assessment; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D009730:Nursing Assessment; D015403:Nursing Evaluation Research; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration