HL Deb 01 July 1991 vol 530 cc52-3WA
Lord Jenkins of Putney

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the number of school nurses in Wandsworth has been reduced.

Baroness Hooper

The establishment of school nurses in Wandsworth was reduced by three whole-time equivalent posts in 1990.

We continue to see an important role for the school health service, but many health authorities have reviewed their local services in the light of the growth in the number of general practitioners and practice nurses and the extension of their role towards the provision of comprehensive family health primary care.

We consider that the main functions of the school health service are to identify children who have not received pre-school child health surveillance, to help with the identification, care and support of children with special needs and to advise on health promotion in schools.