What progress is being made in raising the profile of the school nursing service.

The Framework for Nursing in Schools was launched in 2003. One of the main aims of this document was not only to set out the nursing service that should be delivered to children and young people but provide an opportunity to refocus and raise the profile of nurses working in schools.
Nurses working in schools now participate in many of the new initiatives which are being developed to improve the health of children and young people in Scotland.
In many cases nurses working in schools are very involved in all aspects of the development of New Community Schools, in some cases they are recognised as the key drivers for health issues. Nurses in schools are also at the forefront of the development of a school health profiling tool which will be a valuable and useful development allowing national comparisons, forward planning and evaluation.
The Framework for Nursing in Schools also recommends that the education preparation for nurses working in schools should be changed and brought together with that of health visiting into a single discipline – Public Health Nursing. This ensures that nurses working in schools have the necessary education preparation to effectively fulfil their role and that they are equipped with the necessary skills to meet the changing needs of communities in partnership with other professionals.