School Nurse

My name is Hayley Mulcahy and I am the School Health Nurse for The Cooper School. I am a registered Midwife and have a postgraduate degree in Specialist Community Public Health Nursing, specialising in School Nursing.

Role

In Oxfordshire, every secondary school has a named School Health Nurse who is employed by the NHS and based in school. The School Health Nurse offers evidence based preventative health care to young people, with the aim of improving their health and wellbeing, so they can make informed healthy lifestyle choices and reach their full potential.

Information on work of secondary school health nurses

Secondary schools within Oxfordshire have a named NHS School Health Nurse who is based for at least, one day a week in the school. The aim of the School Health Nurse is to offer evidence based preventative health care for children and young people. We strive to improve young people’s health and wellbeing and their life chances. We work closely with teaching and student support staff at encouraging young people to be both physically and emotionally healthy in order to make informed healthy lifestyle choices and reach their full potential.

What we do

School Health Nurses provide public health interventions including (but not exclusive to):

Someone to talk to confidentially to address issues concerning emotional, physical, sexual, and social health and wellbeing
Health lifestyle choices (keeping safe, smoking cessation, substance misuse advice)
Refer and signpost to specialist services
Offer a confidential School Health Nurse drop-in
Provide contraception, pregnancy testing and sexual health screening.
If we cannot help, we will find someone who can.

How can you access the School Health Nurse?

Young people can pop into the School Health Nurse office through open access on the days that the School Health Nurse is in – a timetable will be up on the door.
Young people can speak with their tutor or student support to help with a referral.
Young people can self-refer by drop in or using the ChatHealth text service 07312263084.

Confidentiality

The School Health Nursing service is confidential. This means we can discuss personal information with young people in confidence and will not discuss it with anyone else without their permission. However, we would pass on any information that we feel is needed to protect a young person or someone else from serious harm. Whenever possible this would be discussed with the young person first.

Contact details

Text: ChatHealth 07312263084 09:00 – 17:00 Mon-Fri (for both parents and young people.)

Email: cyp0-19@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk

Website: Children & Young People (0-19) - Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust

Further Support

· OXME: oxme.info

· Young Minds: www.youngminds.org.uk

· Childline: 0800 1111 or www.childline.org.uk

· Samaritans: 116 123 (free from any phone) or www.samaritans.org

· The Mix: The Mix - Essential support for under 25s

· ChatHealth: 07312263084

Out of Hours

· Please contact your GP or 111

· If you are in immediate danger dial 999 and ask for the appropriate emergency service

· Emergency Contraception advice: Emergency Contraception | OXME.INFO