Meningococcal ACWY vaccination for school leavers
Men ACWY vaccine for eligible teenagers now available
Since 2009, there has been a large increase in group W meningococcal (MenW) disease in England, resulting in several deaths in teenagers. Older teenagers and young adults who are not vaccinated are at risk of getting MenW infection. We are working with GP practices across the West Midlands to ensure all eligible teenagers are offered a Men ACWY vaccine this year (information attached).
To support NHSE/PHE in raising awareness of this, please could you forward this to your colleagues in Education to share with head teachers in schools and educational establishments in the wider community, with a request to share the attached flyer or display the attached poster.
Medical Conditions Awareness Training 2017-18
All primary, secondary and special schools should have received a letter with details of medical conditions awareness training for the academic year 2017-18 (emailed on Tuesday 4 July to the headteacher).
Free training is available for all schools at a number of different dates, times and locations.
The training is for nominated school staff with responsibilities for the children and young people with medical conditions. The number of places available will be dependent on venue capacity.
If you missed this email please contact the School Health & Wellbeing Service on 03300 245 204 or email warwickshireSH&WBService@compass.uk.org
Subsidised school-based training is available for those who would prefer on-site training. The service is able to offer the following 2 courses:
- Asthma and the administration of pre-prepared adrenaline in response to Anaphylaxis (1 hour)
- Administration of emergency medication for Epilepsy (1 hour)
The courses cost £60 each and should be arranged directly with the service.
Schools can choose whether to take one or both of the courses and must raise a purchase order with Compass specifying which course(s) they wish to receive. Schools will be responsible for the local organisation and administration of the courses (e.g. room booking, inviting staff, and recording attendance).
Due to the need for a minimum number of courses being taken up at this rate to make it cost-effective, Public Health Warwickshire will fund any income shortfall with Compass to ensure delivery of the core service is not compromised. We will review the take-up of the courses for the period 1 September 2017 – 31 August 2018 and re-negotiate the reduced rate for the following academic year.
Healthcare Plan Workshops
Given the tragic death of an East London pupil following an allergic reaction to an ingredient in his school dinner, it is timely to remind schools of their statutory responsibilities towards pupils with medical conditions. The findings by the Coroner were that not all school staff were aware of his medical condition nor his healthcare plan.
Please ensure you are following the requirements of the DfE guidance: Supporting pupils with medical conditions at school 2014
(https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-
medical-conditions--3).
In particular, you must:
- have a policy in place setting out your arrangements for pupils with medical conditions;
- have a named lead in school for pupils with medical conditions;
- ensure healthcare plans are in place and are regularly reviewed;
- ensure all relevant staff are made aware of health care needs, including any temporary supply staff.
You may also find the website http://medicalconditionsatschool.org.uk/ helpful for resources, model policies and documents.
In order to support schools with meeting their responsibilities towards pupils with medical conditions, the School Health & Wellbeing Service will be running some Best Practice Workshops in Autumn 2017. The purpose of these workshops will be to explain the local pathways in place and to ensure school staff are well informed and supported. We will be in touch in due course with some dates and times for these workshops and would encourage you to send representatives from your school.
If you would like to discuss this in more detail, please contact the service directly on
03300 245 204 or via warwickshireSH&WBService@compass-uk.org
Free mental health resources for primary schools
We know that local authorities across the country are involved in innovative work to equip schools to support the mental health and wellbeing of their pupils. We would like to help by providing schools in your area with resources produced by child mental health experts from the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families. As an independent charity we bring together leading clinicians and researchers dedicated to improving the quality, accessibility and effectiveness of support and provision.
In September we will launch our campaign You’re never too young to talk mental health. As part of this campaign we will provide all primary schools with a free ‘Talking Mental Health’ animation and accompanying teacher resource pack which includes assembly plans, lesson plans and cross-curricular activities. These materials, which were co-produced with children, support teachers to give children the language they need to talk about mental health. All our materials are based on rigorous evidence and have been thoroughly tested in schools
Our child mental health experts have also developed a booklet: ‘Supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools’ and a series of films which offer practical guidance about what teachers can do in the classroom to support mental health, and what to do if they are concerned about a child. These materials will be free to access online in September through our Schools in Mind network. We have created this network specifically to support all those working in education and we very much hope you will join it.
If you agree that You’re never too young to talk mental health here’s what you can do to help us to support your schools:
Please let schools know about these materials before the end of term so that they can be ready to use our materials in the new school year
Sign up to our free Schools in Mind network and ask schools in your area to do the same
We will contact you in September with information about how you can share our materials with your schools.
We look forward to working with you on this project.
Yours Sincerely,
Jaime Smith
Programme Director for Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools
Dementia Friends Information Sessions for Schools and Colleges
Message from Dr John Linnane, Director of Public Health, Warwickshire County Council
The Dementia Friends Initiative aims to change the way people think, act and speak about dementia. The initiative is led nationally by the Alzheimer’s Society and is based on the principle that people with dementia can live well with a little help from other people and there are now almost two million Dementia Friends in England. Becoming a Dementia Friend is about understanding a bit more about dementia and the small things that can help people with the condition. You don’t need to already know someone with dementia to become a Dementia Friend.
Raising awareness of dementia amongst our younger generation is incredibly important and I am writing to encourage you to consider hosting a Dementia Friends Information Session at your school / college.
Benefits to your school and students / pupils:
- Dementia Friends is a National initiative - be part of something really positive
- World Alzheimer’s Month is in September – a great time to link with a national and international awareness raising campaign
- Can be delivered within PSHE lessons – links with Citizenship
- Can be delivered to year groups or whole school assemblies (up to 200 pupils)
- Sessions can be tailored to specific age groups (from 5-18)
- Free session lasting 45-60 minutes
- All resources provided
- Dementia Friends Badges and Information card provided to every participant
- Minimal organisation required from the school.
A session was delivered to over 200 year 12 students from Kenilworth School Sixth Form. Mr Mummery, Senior Deputy Headteacher / Head of Sixth Form, Kenilworth School and Sixth Form said:
‘The Dementia Friends Champions gave a most interesting, interactive talk explaining how each person with dementia is individual and reminding us all that people living with dementia need everyone’s support and respect. The session was delivered as part of the year 12 assembly and was well received by students and staff. I would encourage other schools and colleges to host an Information Session as a positive way to raise awareness of dementia among the younger generation’.
Warwickshire County Council and the Alzheimer’s Society would like to support your school / college to host a Dementia Friends Information Session. The Information Sessions are interactive and focus on five key messages that are important for everyone to know about dementia.
If you have general queries or would like to request a Dementia Friends Information Session within your school / college in Warwickshire, please complete the attached form / contact Keeley Waldron, Regional Support Officer - Dementia Friends, from the Alzheimer's Society on 07718 252457 or by email: keeley.waldron@alzheimers.org.uk
Thank you for helping to raise awareness and understanding of dementia. Further information can also be found on Warwickshire's Living Well with Dementia website: www.warwickshire.gov.uk/dementia
Please find further details of Warwickshire’s Dementia Friends Challenge below. This information should provide some useful local context.
In Warwickshire, there are estimated to be approximately 7,600 people living with dementia and this is likely to rise to over 11,000 people with dementia in the County in the next ten years. The fact is that most people in Warwickshire will be affected in some way by dementia during their lifetimes. To support people to live well with dementia and to raise awareness and understanding of the condition, Warwickshire County Council and partners have now achieved their initial target of creating 10,000 Dementia Friends in Warwickshire. Now that we have achieved our initial target, we are aiming to create 30,000 Dementia Friends across Warwickshire by 2019. Our local Dementia Friends will also contribute to the national target – to create 4 million Dementia Friends in England by 2020. Further information about Dementia Friends can be found at: www.dementiafriends.org.uk.