DELIGHT AT COLNE VALLEY SCHOOL NURSE NEWS

10.12.00am GMT Fri 28th Mar 2008

Pupils at Colne Valley High School will finally have access to a qualified school nurse following the advertisement of the post almost a year after it became vacant.

Pupils at Colne Valley High School will finally have access to a qualified school nurse following the advertisement of the post almost a year after it became vacant. Councillor Margaret Fearnley (Colne Valley Ward) is delighted at the move, but is disappointed that it has taken so long to replace the previous nurse who left in July 2007.

Since the start of the school year last September pupils have had nursing services provided by the Primary Care Trust but have not had a nurse on hand to deal with any health queries. Having a health specialist on the school site again will enable over 1,000 pupils to have access to essential health education and advice, providing a better service to young people in the Colne Valley.

Councillor Fearnley said "I have been raising questions about when the school nurse was going to be recruited for many months now. It was a source of worry to me and local parents that the pupils did not have access to a dedicated nurse.

"I am delighted that the right decision has finally been reached. I hope there will be a high volume of good quality applicants for this very important job. The health of young people in schools is vital to their development and, whilst I am disappointed the post was left vacant for so long, I am really pleased that pupils will soon have a dedicated nurse."