Vox Pop: Should all school pupils be given annual medicals?

NO

Lucie Russell, director of campaigns, policy and participation, Young Minds

Early intervention is vital in helping support children’s mental health and promoting resilience.

It has been proven time and time again as key to positive mental health and resilience among young people. This is where we would prefer to see resources placed.

What is vital is that support is there to give children help as early as possible. We have questions about how medicals would work practically and what would happen with the data. We also want to know what the pathway from medical assessment to advice, support and care would be.

YES

Mike Rees, Association of Youth Offending Team Managers’ representative for the south west

It is a good idea, but a lot depends on what will be incorporated into a health check and the response if any physical or mental health issues are identified.

For example, if there is a mild mental health difficulty, whose responsibility would it be? Would it be addressed by existing school or academy provision or externally, through children and young people’s services or specialist child and adolescent mental health services?

The greater challenge would be engaging families who are resistant to the process of health checks, particularly where the health difficulties identified have their roots in broader issues such as family neglect through parental alcohol and drugs misuse.

NO

Malcolm Trobe, policy director, the Association of School and College Leaders

While schools fully accept the importance of keeping young people healthy and identifying potential cases of mistreatment, this does not necessitate annual medical checks on children.

There are already a range of ways in which suspected mistreatment of children can be identified by schools and referred to the appropriate authorities.

What we all need to do is ensure that the existing provisions are used well. The health and wellbeing of young people is important, but we do not need a full-blown programme of medical checks.


YES

Emma Rigby, chief executive, Association of Young People’s Health

Annual medical examinations would be a great way of ensuring young people have some positive interaction with a health professional.

But to be successful, they must be conducted by staff who understand young people’s health concerns and can direct them to other sources of support.

We know that many young people do not feel confident about visiting their GP. But with the right staff and effective referral systems in place, annual medicals could provide an important way for adolescents to interact with health professionals and raise any concerns they may have.