RCN calls for sustained investment in school nursing

Published: 17 February 2012

Embargoed until 00:01 15 February 2012

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has today called for a sustained investment in school nursing, highlighting the difference school nurses can make to the lives of children and young people.

The RCN has published a new UK-wide position statement, highlighting the depth and breadth of the profession and the important work it carries out. It also identifies outstanding case studies from across the UK but warns that in some areas school nurses are being “poached” to work as health visitors to meet the Government target to recruit an extra 4,200 health visitors in England by 2015.

RCN Chief Executive & General Secretary, Dr Peter Carter, said: “School nursing has changed dramatically in the last 25 years. Today’s school nurse is a specialist practitioner working across education and health, providing an often crucial link between school, home and the community.

“However, school nurses are telling us that not only has there been a poor investment in school health services in recent years, but that they are increasingly stretched as recruitment freezes are imposed and posts are cut. It is absolutely vital that UK governments invest in school nurses, who play a key role in supporting children, young people and their families.”

Today’s announcement comes as concern is expressed over cuts to the school nursing workforce. One in six school nurses who took part in the RCN’s members survey last year found that posts had been cut in the last year. One third of school nurses reported that recruitment freezes had been imposed in the last year, leading to posts being unfilled, while a fifth (20 percent) said that staffing levels had been reduced. In addition, just one third of school nurses felt that nursing would provide a secure future in years to come, compared to two-thirds in 2009.

Outstanding case studies identified in the report, include the following:
• School nurses in Pendle, who work with local police, highlighting issues relating to sexual exploitation of young girls. School nurses in the area share professional experience and intelligence in an area where there is a prevalence of sexual exploitation.
• The work of a school nurse in Clackmannanshire in improving the behaviour of a young girl with behavioural and attachment problems. Through co-ordinated work with the family and family support workers, strategies were set up with the result of better behaviour and concentration.
• A project in NHS Ayrshire and Arran to increase healthcare capacity in local schools that have a high number of vulnerable children and young people. A new team was established to work with parents, carers and stakeholders to provide children and young people with consistent and positive experiences.
• ‘Health shops’ in Leicester, which school nurses established in the majority of senior schools in Leicester. They provide friendly and confidential support on a range of issues.

The position statement also sets out key objectives that the RCN believes must be met including:
• Recognising the importance of the nursing voice. All reforms to community nursing and nursing services must engage school nurses;
• Supporting a child and young person centred approach and ensuring that high quality services are provided throughout an individual’s care pathway;
• Creating a positive career choice for school nurses; and
• Strong, visible and influential school nursing leadership is needed to plan and manage change and to help secure a robust future for school nursing services.

Dr Carter added: “School nurses can play a pivotal role in breaking intergenerational cycles, facilitating behaviour change and promoting healthy lifestyles. They help to tackle obesity, encourage children to stop smoking, reduce teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. This position statement provides the framework for the future of the profession and we would like to see it acted upon as a matter of urgency.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors

The figures are from the RCN’s 23rd Employment Survey and cover the views of almost 8000 nurses, including 87 school nurses.

For further information, interviews or illustrations please contact the RCN Media Office on 0207 647 3633, press.office@rcn.org.uk or visit http://www.rcn.org.uk/newsevents/media

Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is the voice of nursing across the UK and is the largest professional union of nursing staff in the world. The RCN promotes the interest of nurses and patients on a wide range of issues and helps shape healthcare policy by working closely with the UK Government and other national and international institutions, trade unions, professional bodies and voluntary organisations.