Specialist Public Health Nurse (school nurse) referral form and guidance.

Before completing a referral into our service, please read the following information to ensure that you are familiar with the support we can offer and our referral criteria. 

About us:
Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (SCPHN school nurses) hold a specialist qualification in public health and are commissioned to provide public health support to children and young people aged 5-19 years old; helping them to stay healthy and protecting them from risks to their health. The 5-19 years NHS team is led by SCPHN school nurses, who work collaboratively with the community staff nurses in the team to support children and young people on preventative strategies and early intervention to improve their public health needs.

What we do:
We offer support to children and young people who are experiencing any of the following difficulties with their health:

  • Physical Health: alcohol, drugs or smoking, risky behaviours, puberty, continence, long-term conditions (where specialist services are not already involved), oral health and advice on childhood immunisations.
  • Health & Wellbeing: school attendance below 85% (where there is thought to be an unmet health need), young carer, healthy lifestyles, gender and/ or sexuality, and sexual health (we also provide an enhanced sexual health service including emergency contraception, pregnancy testing and C-Scheme condom distribution).
  • Emotional Health: stress, relationships, sleep, bereavement, low moods, low level self-harm, worries and anxieties, body image and understanding the teenage brain.

Making a referral:
Some children and young people may need more specialist support than we are able to offer. It is important that you consider our referral criteria to make sure that we are the service that best meets the child/ young person’s needs.

We will not accept a referral for a child or young person who is already on the waiting list for another service for the same issue.

A referral without consent cannot be accepted. We need consent from the young person themselves, to be able to consider a referral. For children and young people under the age of 13 years, we will also require parent/ carers consent.

Attendance referrals

This must be for attendance of 85% and below, where a health issue is being considered as the reason for non-attendance and there are no other health professionals involved.

Where a child/ young person has a long-term condition, they may be being supported by specialist services.

Growth & Nutrition exclusions

Monitoring of height and weight as part of a plan of care being delivered by other health professionals will not be considered.

Emotional health and wellbeing exclusions

If a child or young person is already under the care of another service provider (e.g. CAMHS, Specialist Counselling).

Children and young people need to be referred to the right service for them. School nurses offer early intervention, preventative and supportive advice. Please refer to the Derby and Derbyshire Mental Health Pathway for advice on the thresholds for each service provider.

If there are immediate concerns around serious self-harm, psychosis or suicidal ideation, please seek emergency advice by dialling 999, NHS 111 or go to the Emergency Department, or a Urgent Treatment Centre in your local area.

Information and advice also available via Urgent Care Team CAMHS for North Derbyshire and High Peak, telephone: 07901 330724 and CAHMS RISE for South Derbyshire, telephone: 0300 123 3124.

For schools – contact your specialist mental health adviser prior to referral. 

If you have any safeguarding concerns, please do not refer to this service to investigate. Follow your organisation’s individual safeguarding policies, and/or make a direct referral to Starting Point:
Tel: 01629 533190 Fax: 01629 533295 Minicom: 01629 533240.
 

All requests for support should be made to Starting Point online at: www.derbyshire.gov.uk/startingpoint

Bereavement exclusions

A maximum of 2 sessions will be offered. Any additional input would need to be accessed from specialist services.

If a child or young person has already been referred to or is under the care of a specialist service. 

Support for anger and 'behaviour' management

There are a range of other service providers who could offer support with this area, and the completion of an early help assessment should be considered.

ADHD and ASD concerns will not be accepted. School to refer to SPoA (south of the county) or school doctor service, as per local area pathway).

Private education

Children attending private schools are excluded from the Derbyshire school nurse offer, as this is not part of our service specification.

 

Please note, all sections are mandatory – if a section is not applicable to the referral that you are making, please indicate this within the relevant box. Incomplete referrals will be rejected.

Child/Young Person’s Details

Europe/London
Address

Consent for referral must be obtained, or referrals will not be considered, and the referrer will be asked to obtain this before the referral can progress.
Young People aged 13 years or above should be deemed competent to consent for themselves.

The 5-19 years school nurse team can work with children and young people in a number of different ways.

Parent/Carer

Europe/London
Required

Please complete the above online form, email or post referrals to the following location:

Email: DCHST.derbyshireschoolnurses@nhs.net

This is a secure email address.

Postal address:
0-19 years Children’s Services (School nusing)
Stubley Medical Centre
Stubley Drive
Dronfield
S18 8QY
Derbyshire Family Health Service information and support line:
Tel: 01246 515100
Text: Young people aged 11-19 can text a Derbyshire public health nurse on 07507 330025. This is a confidential text messaging service, providing advice and support from one of our healthcare professionals. Available Monday to Friday, 9am – 4.30pm, except bank holidays.
Parents and carers of 5-19 year olds can text a Derbyshire public health nurse 07312 263744. This is a confidential text messaging service where parents and carers of 5-19 year olds can get support and information from a public health nurse in a quick and easy way. It is available Monday to Friday, 9am – 4.30pm, excluding bank holidays.

NB if you have any safeguarding concerns, please do not refer to this service to investigate - follow your organisation’s individual safeguarding policies, and/or make a direct referral to Starting Point:

All requests for support should be made to Starting Point online at: www.derbyshire.gov.uk/startingpoint
 

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