School health bill deemed 'unnecessary' by government

In only its second reading last week, the Schools (Health Support) Bill was deemed unnecessary by schools minister Sarah McCarthy-Fry. She said many of the measures suggested in the bill were already covered in the recent Child Health Strategy and the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill currently going through parliament.

The bill had been introduced by Labour MP Jim Cunningham, and called for greater partnership working between local authorities, primary care trusts and schools in ensuring children with conditions such as type 1 diabetes are given the support they need to live a full school life.

But after a long debate in parliament, Cunningham was resigned to admitting the bill would be another unwelcome piece of legislation for teachers to work with.

"It was pointed out earlier that much legislation these days affects teachers," he said. "It was not the intention of my bill to impose a greater burden on them. The minister has honoured the commitments that she gave me in private conversations, so I do not intend to pursue my bill."

Commitments made by McCarthy-Fry include revised guidance on managing medicines in schools and early years settings, and a campaign to raise the profile of the issue in schools. The Department for Children, Schools and Families is setting up a stakeholder group to help inform the implementation of both actions.

McCarthy-Fry said she supported the bill's intentions but felt a legal duty was not needed at this time. "We want to bring schools along with us, not by coercion through a legal duty, but by working together to make best practice common practice," she said.