The Family Nurse Partnership: next steps

When the Family Nurse Partnership (FNP) was introduced to England in 2007, it came with an impressive evidence base from the US, which has continued to grow with studies in the Netherlands, England and a formative evaluation in Scotland. Findings from Building Blocks, the England randomised control trial (RCT), increased understanding of the programme’s effect in a UK context – not only of what it did improve (such as early child development), but what it didn’t. The FNP National Unit is now returning to a cycle of adapting the programme and testing a series of innovations and improvements to strengthen outcomes, increase cost effectiveness, ensure greater flexibility and share learning with other services.