School nurses 'could pass on health messages to children'

Sarah Mullally said primary care trusts should appoint the nurses to also oversee primary schools in the area.

They would be ideally placed to pass on public health messages, she said.

Her call comes in a review on how to improve local health services for children - part of a government Green Paper, Every Child Matters.

If every school had a nurse, enormous strides could be taken in tackling issues affecting young people such as obesity or sexual activity. Beverly Malone, Royal College of Nursing General Secretary

Ms Mullally said school nurses could address issues like childhood obesity, which has tripled in the last 20 years.

She also said they could pass on sexual health messages to young people.

'Fragmentation'

The review also calls for health professionals to co-ordinate their efforts to look after children's health.

Ms Mullally highlighted gaps in children's services and a "mismatch" between the needs of vulnerable youngsters and the skills and knowledge of the nurses, midwives and health visitors who work with them.

She said that care was often fragmented between health, social care and education, between the hospital and the community and between nurses, midwives and health visitors.

The CNO also said children living in deprived areas should be the priority of health visitors.

Ms Mullally said: "In my visits to the NHS I see many examples of innovation and good practice in children's services, delivered by highly skilled and dedicated nurses, midwives and health visitors.

"We need to make these commonplace and make sure that the most vulnerable children and young people benefit from the skills of these professionals and their teams."

She added: "It is for every nurse, midwife, health visitor whose work brings them into contact with children and young people to take this agenda forward, wherever they work."

'Recognition'

Health Secretary John Reid said: "We want to see the NHS increase the number of school nurses. For too long the needs of schoolchildren have been overlooked and school nursing services have suffered as a result. We want to see the NHS put that right."

The Department of Health said the extra nurses should be recruited from the pool of 67,000 who have joined the NHS since 1997.

Beverly Malone, general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said it fully supported recommendations for specialist public health nurses for children and young people.

"The RCN firmly believes that if every school had a nurse, enormous strides could be taken in tackling issues affecting young people such as obesity or sexual activity.

"We also recognise that strong links need to be built between children's and practice nurses, health visitors and community children's nurses, so that the specific needs of children are met."