§ Tim LoughtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many qualified nurses are employed by the school nursing service in each PCT; [59419]
(2) how many PCTs operate pupil drop-in surgeries by school nurses in primary schools; [59422]
(3) what services to pupils are normally performed by the school nursing service; [59423]
(4) what plans he has to expand the schools nursing service. [59420]
§ Ms Blears[holding answer 24 May 2002]: Information is not collected centrally on the number of pupil drop-in surgeries run by school nurses, nor are numbers of nurses employed in the school health service collected separately from returns on the overall community nurse work force. Expansion of the school nursing service is a matter for primary care trusts, which are tasked with providing for the health care needs of their local population.
Services to pupils normally provided by the school nursing service include supporting children and young people with medical needs in schools. Services are also designed to reduce health inequalities through programmes to improve and protect health such as sexual health and relationships, accident prevention, nutrition and physical activity, parenting, smoking cessation, and immunisation.
Improving the health of children and young people and reducing inequalities are priorities for this Government. Additional work is being developed within the children's national service framework, national healthy schools standard and the teenage pregnancy unit.