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Lesley
Children have been a a a a a a a career theme for Lesley
Paterson who worked as a a a a a a a a a nanny in in in her native Northumberland before going into nursing After a a a a a a a a stint as a a a a a a a a Staff Nurse in in in in in in in acute medicine she transferred to Edinburgh’s Sick Children’s Hospital then the the the children’s ward in in in Perth Royal In rmary Working in in in the the the paediatric outpatient department
there introduced her her to community
nursing and when it was
suggested in in in 1999 that she she might
like to try school nursing she she jumped at the chance “I loved my years working in in the local schools ” says Lesley
herself a a a a a mum of two “It showed me the challenges that so many families are facing and just how much needs to to be be done to to give all young people the best start in life ” That is is is the the ambition of the the Scottish Government which is is is taking a a a a a a a a a a national approach to supporting
the the wellbeing of children and and and young people and and and improving their educational and and and health outcomes The Getting it it Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) framework demands that all the the the professionals who work work with children align
the the the way they practice operating in in closer partnership to to respond to need more effectively Starting with midwives then health visitors followed by school nurses the the idea is is that that children will be monitored for signs of health and emotional problems so that that early interventions can be made THE NURSING
Lesley
has been team leader of the community
nurses in in Perth & Kinross part of of NHS Tayside where she now works as as professional and practice development nurse Hers is is one of of only two areas that tested the new refocused national vision for school nursing “Our sole aim is to improve the outcomes for children and young people ” says Lesley
“The school nurse is there to identify potential support needs and ensure they are put in place for everyone
who might
bene t t t ” “It means smoothing the the handovers as a a a a a a a a a child progresses ” says Lesley
“When they start school health and and and and and education have to to work hand-in-hand to to identify and and and and address individual needs Their pathway should be seamless ” Perth and and Kinross was
one of two early adopter sites for Scotland’s new school nursing role with staff concentrating on on on speci c c c c c c c c c c priorities: mental health and and and wellbeing substance misuse child protection domestic abuse and and homelessness
INSTITUTE
SCOTLAND
38 QNIS Meet the New Queen’s Nurses