School Public Health Services

30 March 2017

The new School Public Health Service provided by Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust will launch on 1 April.

The new School Public Health Service provided by Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust will launch on 1 April.

Kent County Council has awarded two new contracts for School Public Health Services to Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT), following a competitive tendering process.

During the next couple of months, schools, parents, children and young people will notice a variety of improvements, including:

  • increased opening hours from 8am until 6pm, Monday to Friday
  • easier access with one number, email and online referral to contact the service
  • uniforms to make the school health teams more visible
  • increased drop-ins at schools, youth clubs and community venues
  • a new website for children and young people, with web chat, to be developed with schools and local children.

Referrals to the service can be made now via one number, email or online:

The team is looking for schools to work with them to develop the website. Interested schools should contact Julia Rogers, Assistant Director of Communications and Engagement, on 01622 211946 or email julia.rogers@kentcht.nhs.uk.

KCHFT will also be increasing its range of leaflets. Those already available for download are:

  • School Health Service
  • Bedwetting - does it worry you?
  • Starting school - your school nurse is on hand to help
  • Moving to Secondary school - your school nurse is still on hand to help
  • Leaving school - don’t worry your school nurse is still around

Draft text to add to school websites to help describe to children, young people and parents what the service provides and how to access it can be downloaded at the Kent CHT website for you to use as a template.

These new School Public Health Services will replace the current contracts for school nursing services delivered by KCHFT and Medway Foundation Trust (in Swale) as well as the current Young Healthy Minds service from 1 April 2017.

If you have any questions regarding either of these new services, please contact Karen Dudley, Commissioning Officer for Public Health or Tina Owen, Head of School Health and Immunisations Services, Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Contact details

Karen Dudley, Commissioning Officer, KCC
Email: Karen.Dudley@kent.gov.uk

Tina Owen, Head of School Health and Immunisations Services, Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust
Email: Tina.Owen@kentcht.nhs.uk