School Nursing Service

The School Nursing team is made up of the:

School Nurse (Specialist Qualified 3rd part Nursing and Midwifery Council
(NMC) registrant – now masters level 11 post graduate degree)
Community Staff Nurses (Registered Nurse on Part 1 of NMC –
undergraduate degree)
Community Health Assistants (not a nurse, may have SVQ qualifications in
care related field)
Services Provided
Universal Services for All School Age Children:
Child Health Surveillance Programme
P1 eye tests by Health Assistant – (only for those who did not receive this
preschool in nursery)
Growth Measurements by Health Assistant– currently at Primary 1 and Parent
health Questionnaire (this may change in the future dependant on Scottish
Government obesity strategy and the Health Visitor assessment at 4-5 years
preschool)
Primary 7 health questionnaire – growth measurement may be added in the
future linked to Scottish Government obesity prevention work
Drop in Services – a drop in health zone for High School Pupils (either in school
or community facility) who are seeking advice or support on sexual health and
health related issues
Education of Staff and Pupils
Staff training – CPD in-service days on health actions plans, anaphylaxis etc –
will be usually be delivered by the staff nurse
Healthcare Plans for pupils – education staff will be supported by staff nurses on
the planning and education
Healthcare Needs of Children with Moderate to Complex Physical Nursing
Needs:
For children in Complex Needs Schools, nursing care needs will be delivered by
the nursing team who are based in these designated schools
School Nurse Services for Children/Young People with Increased Needs:
10 key areas specialist school nurses will focus on:
Emotional Health and Wellbeing
Substance Misuse
Child Protection
Domestic Abuse
Looked After Children
Homelessness
Youth Justice
Young Carers
Sexual Health
Transitions
How to Refer
Children can be referred to the School Nurse by their school or their GP or other health care professional. Children and young people can also self-refer. They can do this by discussing this at drop ins or asking their teacher/ guidance teacher to refer them.
Parents can refer by discussing with their GP or child’s teacher/ guidance teacher.
Further information
Our NHS Lothian School Nursing Service web pages:
School Nursing – NHS Lothian | Our Services
Who Does What
GP – all regular family health care
CAMHS – Child and Adolescent Mental Health – Specialist service
Hospital Paediatric – medical/surgical and other specialist services
Community Paediatrician – doctors in community child health
CCN Team – Community Children’s Nurses – specialist paediatric trained
nurses
AHPs – Allied Health Professionals – speech and language therapy,
physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetics, orthoptics – referral based
service
CVT – Community Vaccination Team – nurses who deliver vaccination services
to all age groups
Learning Disability Services – where there is LD diagnosis
Oral Health – Dental – prevention and treatment service
LAC – Looked After Children – nurses who work only with looked after
children. When notified by Social Work that a child has become looked after, the
LAC nurses will undertake a health assessment. They may refer to school
nursing for ongoing reviews and wider support.