The Oxfordshire service has three numbers – each aimed at meeting the needs of specific groups. These are parents of children aged 0-4, parents of children aged 5-11 and young people themselves aged 11-19. Messages will be assigned to the most appropriately skilled healthcare professional rostered for the service that day.

Experienced local public health nurses are on hand to respond swiftly to texts between 9am and 5pm on weekdays – apart from bank holidays. They reply to texts sent at night on the next working day, including during school holidays.

The first two numbers are called ‘Oxfordshire Parentline’ and the service for young people is named ‘Oxfordshire ChatHealth’.

• Parentline 0-4 years: 07312 263081
• Parentline 5-11 years: 07312 263227
• Chatlhealth 11-19 years: 07312 263084

Service for parents of young children near top of the national league

The services for parents of 5-11 year olds and for young people are seeing a steady flow of people getting in contact, but the response to the service for parents of young children aged 0-4 years old has really taken off.

Nicola Taylor, the Trust’s Service Manager – Children’s Preventative Care Services, said: “In just a few short weeks our service is almost at the top of the league for the number of conversations we’ve had with service users.

“This is great news and reflects the fact that parents of young children aged 0-4 have lots of questions and Chat Health is a really effective way of getting in touch with us.”