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The School Health Service aims to promote and support the health of the children in school.
Mid-Anglia Community Health Trust is responsible for the provision of services to schools in the West Suffolk area.
Each school has a named school nurse who is available to advise schools, parents, and pupils on health issues.
Jacky Strahm is school nurse for the Thurston Pyramid of schools.
She is based at Thurston Community College and can be contacted there.
Teachers, pupils and parents may seek advice from the school nurse at any time.
She has direct access to other services and the Senior Clinical Medical Officer who serves as a school doctor.
This service complements that provided by the family's G.P. who is responsible for the health of the whole family.
School nurses will screen children at school entry. They check that vision, hearing, height and weight are satisfactory.
Parents will be asked to complete a questionnaire beforehand, and may discuss problems with the school nurse if they wish to.
Regular visits to the optician and dentist (which are both free) are essential to maintaining health.
The school nurse will visit children with extra health needs/disabilities in school as necessary. She will also advise school staff about health problems to ensure pupils receive the right support.
The Education Welfare Officer (EWO) visits the school periodically or when there are particular concerns regarding a child. Parents may request a referral to her via the Headteacher. If a child has poor attendance the EWO is likely to contact the family.
Children should be kept at home when ill, and may need a suitable period of recovery. Please keep children at home for a full 48 hours after they have been sick or had diarrhea. If parents are unsure about certain illnesses, there is a poster in the office giving information on communicable diseases and incubation periods, etc. Where a child is receiving prescribed medication, this remains the responsibility of the parent. Staff do not administer medicine. Exceptions are made where agreement is sought and the condition is long term or life threatening e.g. diabetes, anaphalaxis etc.
Some children who suffer from asthma have inhalers and/or volumisers, which are kept at school. These are kept in a box in the office and children have access to them at all times. If your child suffers from asthma, please let us know which preventative and/or reliever medication they have been prescribed.
The school has adopted the Suffolk Schools Asthma Policy. Copies of this are available in school.
Minor injuries - advice to schools is to clean minor wounds with plain water and soap. We would like parents to inform us if they have objections to plasters being used. If your child has a fall that involves a bang to the head, it is our policy to call you so you can decide if your child requires additional treatment.
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