Published: 10 September 2007
Children At Risk in Hounslow Schools
More than 70 Hounslow head teachers are being alerted to the fact that local health managers are defying government policy by employing no qualified school nurse in the borough.
Unite/Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association says that there no school nurses with the Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN) qualification employed by Hounslow Primary Care Trust (PCT).
This is despite government policy since 2004 that each secondary school and cluster of primary schools should have a qualified school nurse as part of its public health remit - This would mean 14 qualified school nurses.
Now the Unite/CPHVA has written to the 60 primary and 14 secondary head teachers in Hounslow asking for their support in their campaign for more school nurses to be employed.
It highlighted particular concerns about the public health of children, such as:
· nutrition & obesity
· emotional well-being
· growing up & puberty
Last month, Unite/CPHVA criticised PCT managers for allowing the health visiting service in the socially-deprived borough to reach ‘melt-down’ point.
Unite/CPHVA wrote to junior health minister and local MP, Ann Keen about the situation.
In her letter to head teachers, Unite/CPHVA Professional Officer for School Health, Ros Godson said:
“We are extremely concerned that the local PCT has re-organised the public health service to children as a complete 0-16 year’s service.
We are appalled that the service to primary school children is not being supported by qualified school nurses, as recommended by the Department of Health Choosing Health White Paper (2004).’
Ros Godson said that nurses, who have completed the extra year post-graduate public health qualification at university, are essential members of the school team.
Unite/CPHVA has suggested that the trust ‘recalibrates its £266 million-a-year budget as a matter of urgency to tackle the crisis in community nursing services.
Further information
CPHVA website
Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN)
NHS Careers
Teachernet - School Nurses
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