This story was first published in digitalhealth.net
School nurse shortage putting pupil’s lives at risk
Children’s lives are being put at risk because of the shortage of school nurses, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has warned.
New data published by NHS Digital reveals that more than 550 school nurses have been lost since 2010, 19 per cent of the total NHS workforce in England. The fall has increased quickly in recent months, with over a hundred posts lost so far this year.
The RCN has said the loss is leaving teachers without vital training and pupils without the right support, and warns that if services continue to deteriorate, pupils with health conditions may not be able to attend mainstream school.
The RCN is calling on the government to provide local authorities with the funds needed for fully-staffed school nursing services, so that every child can attend school safely.
It has just published a new edition of its toolkit for school nurses providing information to support and develop professional practice.
Fiona Smith, RCN professional lead for children and young people’s nursing, said: “It would be completely unjust if a child couldn’t participate in school life because of their health condition. Every child has the right to an education and it is the government’s responsibility to make that happen.
“It is time the government wakes up and realises the hugely detrimental impact these cuts are having to our children and our society. School nursing is a critical service and it needs to be treated as such.”
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