Bracknell Health Care ServicesCOVID Update Letter from Nursing Team

SCHOOL NURSING SERVICE

Bracknell Forest School Nursing Team
The Rowan’s & Sycamores Children’s Centre
Pond Moor Road
Easthampstead
Bracknell
Berkshire
RG12 7JZ
Tel: 0300 365 6000 (option 3)
Bracknellforest.SN@berkshire.nhs.uk

APRIL 2020

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL NURSING SERVICE DURING COVID 19

I am writing to provide you with an update about the School Nursing service in light of the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) Corona outbreak.

Across the NHS, services are adapting the way we deliver care to our patients. We’re changing the way we are working to make sure we can continue to reach as many people we can during this unprecedented time.

Wherever possible, the work of the School Nursing team will continue although, in some cases, not in the way you may be used to.

We will be reducing the School Nursing service to supporting children, young people and their parents/carers with their emotional needs, and these will mostly be undertaken as a non-face to face appointment as below:

• an online video consultation (similar to a Skype or What’s App call)
• a telephone consultation;
• or we may provide you with professional advice on how to manage your own care.
• The service will also continue to support families with additional needs, including those with multi-agency plans in place, including assessments for children in care. In some cases we may make home visits.
• A member of the team will contact you to make arrangements which suit your individual needs. There is no need to contact us.

Covid-19 has presented almost everyone in the country with the biggest challenge in living memory. For the foreseeable future, it is vitally important that we significantly reduce the amount of personal contact with each other. This will protect the wellbeing of patients and staff while we continue to provide care to those who need it the most.

The NHS 111 advice line is extremely busy at this time. If you have mild Covid-19 symptoms please do not call 111. If your symptoms become worse, or you require other physical or mental health medical advice please call 111. You can access further information at www.gov.uk/coronavirus. Do not visit the hospital or call 999 unless it is an emergency.

Additional information is available on-line at https://cypf.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk/

We also continue to offer the School Nursing Duty line during school term times, where you can seek advice and support on non Covid19 related issues such as bedwetting, toilet training, behaviour, and sleeping, and we endeavour to answer all responses within 1 working day, your local telephone number is: 0300 365 6000 (option 3), and by email is: bracknellforest.SN@berkshire.nhs.uk

We are working hard to protect the public and ask that you bear with us during this uncertain time. Please listen to the government’s advice and stay at home to reduce the risk to your own health, and that of others.