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Baby health reviews in England: what happens when
In England, every family is offered a set of baby health and development reviews by the health visiting team, plus a physical check by the GP at 6 to 8 weeks. Here is what the official sources say about each one.
What are baby health reviews?
Baby health reviews are the regular health and development checks offered to every family in England as part of the Healthy Child Programme. Most of them are carried out by your health visitor or a member of the health visiting team. One important check in the early weeks, the 6 to 8 week physical examination, is usually done by a GP.
The NHS describes the reviews as regular checks until your child is around 2. They are a chance for the team to see how your baby is growing and developing, and for you to ask about feeding, sleep, safety or anything else on your mind. You do not need to prepare anything special, although a few notes can help.
The national guidance for England says that a minimum of five health and development reviews must be offered: one before birth and four in the first two and a half years. On top of these, some families are offered extra, targeted reviews.
Health visitor checks and the GP check at a glance
The ages below come from the GOV.UK guidance for commissioners and health visiting teams. Where the NHS website for parents describes the timing differently, the table says so.
| Review | Age | Usually done by |
|---|---|---|
| Antenatal review | From 28 weeks of pregnancy | Health visitor |
| New birth review | 1 day to 2 weeks old (NHS: usually within 10 to 14 days of the birth) | Health visitor, at home |
| 6 to 8 week review | 6 to 8 weeks old | Health visitor, at home |
| 6 to 8 week physical examination | Between 6 and 8 weeks old | Usually a GP |
| 1 year review | 9 to 15 months old (NHS: 9 to 12 months) | Health visiting team |
| 2 to 2½ year review | 24 to 30 months old | Health visiting team |
The guidance also describes targeted reviews at around 3 months, around 6 months and around 3½ years. They are recommended for families receiving a targeted or specialist level of support and are not part of the universal offer. If you are not offered one, nothing has been missed.
Enter your baby's date of birth to see the age windows for the reviews in England.
The 6 to 8 week check: two different appointments
"The 6 to 8 week check" can mean two things, and it helps to know which is which.
The physical examination with the GP
The newborn physical examination is done within 72 hours of birth and again when your baby is between 6 and 8 weeks old. The NHS says it looks at your baby's eyes, heart, hips and, in boys, the testicles. It is recommended for all babies. At 6 to 8 weeks it is usually carried out by a GP, and your baby is also weighed and measured.
The review with the health visitor
Separately, the health visitor offers a 6 to 8 week review, usually at home. The GOV.UK guidance calls this a two-stage assessment: the GP does the full physical examination, and the health visitor looks at health promotion, development and support for the family. The two visits should ideally not take place on the same day.
What happens at the later reviews
At the 1 year and the 2 to 2½ year review, the NHS says you will usually be sent a questionnaire called ASQ-3 to fill in at home beforehand. GOV.UK describes tools like this as a way to support the team's developmental review.
- 1 year review: according to the NHS, topics include language and learning, safety, diet and behaviour.
- 2 to 2½ year review: the NHS lists general development (movement, speech, social skills, behaviour, hearing and vision), growth and eating, sleep, teeth, safety and vaccinations. GOV.UK describes it as the last mandated review before a child starts school.
The later reviews can take place at home, at a GP surgery, a baby clinic or a children's centre, and the 2 year review sometimes in a childcare setting. If you have questions between reviews, the NHS suggests contacting your health visitor or GP, or going to your local baby clinic.
The red book (personal child health record)
After the birth you receive a personal child health record, or PCHR. It usually has a red cover, so most people simply call it the red book. The health visiting team records reviews, measurements and advice in it, and the GOV.UK guidance asks for it to be updated at each review.
The NHS recommends taking the red book with you every time you visit the baby clinic or GP. Keeping it in the changing bag saves a search before each appointment.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
This page covers England. Scotland has its own Universal Health Visiting Pathway, and Wales has the Healthy Child Wales Programme, each with a different number and timing of contacts. Heia includes both of these, so if you live in Scotland or Wales, choose your nation in the app and you will see that schedule. For Northern Ireland, Heia does not show a review schedule yet; go by the appointments your health visiting team gives you.
How Heia helps with the reviews
In Heia, you choose your care country once: the United Kingdom, then England. From then on, the app shows the next health visitor review for your baby with its age window, and can send you a quiet reminder if you want one. The targeted reviews are listed for information only and are never shown as due.
Before a review, the appointment preparation (your first one is free) helps you gather your questions and a short summary of your entries into a PDF for the health visitor or GP. The red book is on its "Don't forget" list. How it works is explained in preparing for your baby's check-up. If you share care with a partner or grandparents, a shared baby tracker means everyone's notes end up in one place.
When does the health visitor first visit after the birth?
The new birth review must be offered when your baby is between 1 and 14 days old. The NHS says it usually happens at home within 10 to 14 days of the birth.
Is the 6 to 8 week check done by the GP or the health visitor?
Both, as separate appointments. The GP usually does the physical examination, and the health visitor offers a 6 to 8 week review, usually at home.
What happens at the 1 year health visitor review?
You usually fill in an ASQ-3 questionnaire at home first. At the review, the team talks with you about topics such as language and learning, safety, diet and behaviour.
Do I need to bring the red book to every review?
The NHS recommends taking it with you every time you visit the baby clinic or GP, and the team records each review in it.
When do the health visitor reviews stop?
The last review offered to every family is the 2 to 2½ year review. Some families receiving extra support are also offered a targeted review at around 3½ years.
Sources
- GOV.UK (OHID): Delivery of the Healthy Child Programme, Part 2: health visiting, ages 0 to 5 (updated 12 March 2026)
- NHS: Your baby's health and development reviews
- NHS: Newborn physical examination
- NHS: Services and support for parents (health visitors, child health clinics)
- Scottish Government: Universal Health Visiting Pathway in Scotland, pre-birth to pre-school (2015)
- Welsh Government: Healthy Child Wales Programme quality report (updated 10 June 2026)
Heia describes and puts things in context, but it does not diagnose. If you have questions about your child, please talk to your GP, health visitor, midwife or paediatrician.