MERSEY Care, in partnership with Liverpool City Council, is making changes to how health visiting services for children aged 0 to 5 are organised in Liverpool to ensure services are more connected to local communities across the City.
As 1 of the biggest mental and community health trusts in the North West, Mersey Care will align health visiting teams to the Council's neighbourhood structures as part of the transformation of public health services for children, young people, and families that began in April 2025.
Liverpool’s Health Visiting Service will continue to support families from pregnancy until children start school, offering at least 5 key check‑ins with families, starting in late pregnancy, following birth, at 1 year and when a child is two and a half years old. They will also be available to support families with any questions or concerns they have about their child.
This new neighbourhood focus will allow health visitors to be more locally based and responsive to families and allow the teams to work alongside other organisations like Alder Hey Children’s Hospital and Family Hubs.
As part of wider improvements, from 2 March 2026 a new single phone number (0151 295 3317) for Liverpool’s 0 to 19 Child Health Service will help young people and families call and contact the service they need easily. It replaces multiple team numbers with a more efficient call system, improve response times for callers and allow easier access to the right team.
Carol Jones, Mersey Care’s Clinical Service Manager, said:- “By simplifying, we can improve the experience for families and professionals alike. This is a significant step forward in how we support children and young people in Liverpool. The new number will help us provide the right care in the community for families and make sure that no child or family is left waiting unnecessarily.”
Professor Matt Ashton, Director of Public Health for Liverpool City Council said:- “These changes will make a real difference for families in Liverpool. By bringing services together and introducing one easy to use phone number, we’re making sure parents and carers can get the support they need more quickly. This is all part of our commitment to giving every child in Liverpool the best start in life and making our services easier to use for local families.”
The new neighbourhood model is due to be introduced this month (February 2026) and for more information about the Liverpool 0 to 19 Service and the new arrangements, please contact Carol Jones on:- 07775 009 096 or look at the health visitors’ page on Mersey Care’s website.