School nurse for every school

All schools should have at least one full-time school nurse,
England’s chief nursing officer has recommended in a
report.

In her review of nursing, midwifery and health visiting for
vulnerable children and young people, Sarah Mullally says that
primary care trusts, children’s trusts and local authorities
should aim for a minimum of one full-time school nurse for each
secondary school and its cluster of primary schools.

She adds that nurses working with school-aged children need
specific skills, particularly in child and adolescent mental
health, and that all nurses should be trained in child
protection.

The review, which looks at how nurses, midwives and health
visitors can act on the government’s proposals for the reform
of children’s services, states that care is “often
fragmented” between health, social care, and education. It
highlights a “mismatch” between the needs of vulnerable
children and the skills of nurses, midwives, and health
visitors.

Thirteen areas are identified as needing to change. More
integration is recommended as well as a move away from services
based around professional titles. However, the review warns that
there is no single way to bring services together and that
integrating in one direction could leave gaps in others.

Integrated children’s teams should include the whole
spectrum of workers from assistant practitioners to specialists,
with the role of nurses clearly spelt out, the review states.

http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/08/68/55/04086855.pdf