School Nursing Service

Named school nurse

There will be a named school nurse for each school with regular presence in the school, as agreed with the school. This will be three hours per week in secondary schools and one hour per week in primary schools (during school term time). There will be an obligation by the service to support new schools that are established in the borough including free schools.

For elected home educated pupils links will be made with the Early Help Service that is currently working with these families (parents/carers) and pupils to inform them how to access the school nursing service.

The named school nurse will lead a team to support a small number of secondary schools and the cluster of primary schools that feed into these secondary schools. The School Nursing Service will ensure that cover is provided to schools when the named school nurse is absent, and when there are vacancies, sickness or other absences within the school nursing team.

In addition, the named school nurse will work as a member of the school community contributing to school management meetings, parents' evenings and other relevant activities, in agreement with the school.

Service description

The named school nurse will agree a school nursing service description which will outline details of the level of service that will be provided in each school, including the usual day when the school nurse will be present in the school, the working space to be made available to the school nurse in the school, contact details for the nurse, arrangements for vision and hearing checks, child measurement sessions and drop in sessions.

School health profiles

These profiles will lead to individual school health and wellbeing action plans that identify the priorities for each school to improve the health and wellbeing of their respective populations. The named school nurse will undertake a school health profile in consultation with the head-teacher and personal, social and health education lead. This will have a focus on:

  • early identification
  • effective and timely intervention by the school and partners

Profiles will take into account mental health, rates of overweight and obesity, healthy relationships and inequalities.

In addition, for secondary schools, health profiles will also consider substance misuse and sexual health. Links will be made with the Healthy Schools Programme to support the development of schools achieving healthy school status in Havering.

Location of the service

The primary location for delivery of the School Nursing Service will be school or education settings, however, children and young people will be offered a choice of locations which best meets their needs, including children's centres, and if appropriate, general practice, or at home.

School access to the service

A full school nursing service will be available to children, young people, parents and school staff during term time.

A reduced school nurse service will be available to children, young people, parents and school staff during school holidays, at times identified as suitable for children and young people. The school nursing service will not be available on bank holidays or weekends.

The School Nursing Service will be available by telephone, text and online.

How the service works with pupils

One to one contact with children and young people will be provided in a safe and private space that ensures confidentiality.

School nurses will work in accordance with legislation governing consent for children and young people.

Health care staff have a duty of care to maintain confidentiality and will not pass on information without consent of a young person or child/family except in exceptional circumstances (parents will be advised regarding referrals to other agencies - special circumstances may apply to safe guarding concerns).

Pupils with complex health needs

The school nursing service will work with children and young people with lower levels of health needs which can be routinely supported within a mainstream school setting, drawing upon the expertise of non-health trained school staff with the named school nurse providing clinical leadership.

Children with complex needs fall outside of this service.

Their needs will be met by the Special School Nursing Service (this service is also operated by the North East London Foundation Trust).

In addition, the school nurse will ensure that young people with long term conditions or special educational needs are supported to access appropriate services when they leave secondary school.

Pupils starting school or moving from primary to secondary school

The school nurse will work with the health visiting service to ensure safe transition of 4-5 year olds into the School Nursing Service when they enter reception class.

This will include a summary of health issues for each child (including their immunisation record, any ongoing health or development issues, any social concerns in the family and if there are safeguarding or child in need concerns) in order to assess the level of service required.

On transition from primary to secondary school, the school nurse will ensure that health records are transferred to the named school nurse for the secondary school, highlighting any children where there are complex health issues, long term needs, where there are safeguarding concerns or where a child has special educational needs.

Working with other agencies to support schools, parents and pupils

The effectiveness of the School Nursing Service depends on proactive partnership working, and the named school nurse will develop effective relationships with other services, including effective and timely referrals to agencies in accordance with their referral criteria.

  • Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
  • Children's Services
  • Early Help Service
  • Secondary Care Services
  • Audiology and Optometry Services
  • Educational Psychology
  • Primary Care including GPs
  • Mental Health Services
  • Drugs and Alcohol Services
  • Sexual Health Services

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