Close

Report calling for more school nurses is presented to Parliament

Two women engaged in chatting
Dr Sarah Bekaert, Senior Lecturer/Assistant Professor from Oxford Brookes chats with Lorraine Beavers, Labour MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood.

An Oxford Brookes academic joined the School and Public Health Nurses Association (SAPHNA) to present a report calling for more nurses in UK schools to the House of Lords.

Dr Sarah Bekaert, Senior Lecturer in Children’s Nursing at Oxford Brookes University was invited to Parliament with members of SAPHNA for the official launch of ‘The Forgotten Frontline’ report.

Dr Bekaert contributed to the report which highlights the growing health needs of school-aged children and the workforce shortages that have left the school nursing sector struggling to meet demand. 

Dr Bekaert said: “It was a privilege to attend Parliament this week with SAPHNA. I’ve led research that has supported SAPHNA’s ‘A School Nurse in Every School’ campaign, highlighting the vital role school nurses play in preventing issues that are likely to have a negative impact on children as they grow up. I hope this latest report will help support the case for more school nurses who can work with the emerging and ongoing health needs of young people.”

Baroness Frances D'Souza, Honorary President of the Children's Alliance, hosted the event in partnership with SAPHNA. The launch focused on raising awareness of the increasingly urgent challenges school nurses face in the UK, as outlined in the newly released report.

‘The Forgotten Frontline’ reports the findings of SAPHNA's inaugural survey of school nurses and their teams across the UK. The average English school nurse now cares for over 4,000 pupils.

Key Findings:
  • 82% of survey respondents report insufficient staffing to deliver critical health services.
  • Mental health concerns in young people have surged, with a 96% increase in cases reported.
  • The growing postcode lottery of school nursing services leaves many children without access to timely care.
  • Significant workforce reductions - the survey report indicated that 37% of school nurse respondents plan to retire with most not planning to return to the profession.