While schools were closed for the summer holidays, the main unions representing school nurses were in full voice. Both the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and Unite highlighted an urgent need to improve mental health training for school nurses across the country. "Mental health issues are so common that all school nurses should be formally trained to be able to recognise them and offer help and support in the early stages," said Rosalind Godson, professional officer of the health sector from Unite. "However, they also need training in order to recognise when the problem is serious and needs referral."
The RCN warned of a "child health crisis" given that school nurse numbers have fallen slightly in the last five years at a time when the pupil population has been growing, pointing out they "have a unique opportunity to improve mental and emotional health". It said the £2m cuts to public health budgets in England, announced earlier this year, meant school nurses were at risk of further depletion.
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