The School Nurse, the GP, and the Scary Letter.

Pleaseadvise

Here is the letter that came through my letterbox on Saturday -

Dear Parent/Guardian of [my youngest child]

[Child's doctor] would like to speak to you regarding recent correspondence we have received from the School Nurse.

Please contact the surgery to arrange a telephone consultation.

Yours sincerely

[Local doctor's surgery]


That's the entire letter! Not another word!

Of course, this was frightening, since I had no idea what it was about. The GP's surgery was shut, the school was shut, and searching the internet to work out what a school nurse could have discovered that was so terrible they couldn't tell the parents themselves but had to get a doctor to do it didn't get me anywhere. I asked my child if she'd visited the nurse at school - she said not since she bumped her head playing, weeks ago.

I'm quoting the whole letter so that someone else in the same situation may be able to find something reassuring on the internet - because when I finally got to the bottom of it today, it wasn't a life-threatening disease, a serious mental illness or a suspicion of abuse - which were the kind of things I'd been panicking about.

So why did they bother a busy GP and have an ominously vague letter posted out? Apparently I failed to return a form, which they sent home with my 5 year old, giving permission for the school nurse to check her hearing and eyesight.

They didn't post a letter direct to me, send an email, or ring - even though the school has all the relevant details to reach me in any of those ways. They didn't ask the teacher to speak to me, even though I'm at her door twice a day Monday to Friday! No, what they preferred to do was terrify me by not giving even a hint what the problem was, and tie up the doctor who surely has better things to do since she has a 3-week waiting list for telephone consultations. My husband managed to get a phone number for the school nurse from the school office (they don't put it on their website) and kept ringing until they finally answered, or we'd have gone on worrying for 3 weeks!

Do all school nurses do this kind of thing?

lynnemcf

Because YOU couldnt be bothered to return an important form, you are blaming the doctor for contacting you. I suggest, you take a little more time to care for your child.

moomoomama27

Mis read the post.

I agree medical correspondence us important. The school nurse will make a referral if forms aren't completed, as it could suggest you have something to hide.

peachyprice

How on earth from that short missive did you jump to the conclusion that there must be something seriously wrong with your child? Massive over-reaction imo.

Pleaseadvise

I don't think the form ever reached me - that's a drawback of using 5 year olds as messengers!

My post makes pretty clear that I'm not blaming the doctor, I'm blaming the school nurse for going straight for the nuclear option, instead of trying any of the four easier ways to get hold of me!

Pleaseadvise

Peachyprice - I've never had a letter from a doctor before except with test results! I had no idea they make a habit of tracking down errant forms for school nurses, I thought they had much more important things to do

moomoomama27

Pleaseadvise wrote: »

Peachyprice - I've never had a letter from a doctor before except with test results! I had no idea they make a habit of tracking down errant forms for school nurses, I thought they had much more important things to do

Working in primary school it's not normal practise for a nurse to refer to a Dr for missing firms, that's generally done by the school receptionist or class teacher.

I can only guess there could be other concerns that a referral was asked for.

Mrs_Soup

If the original letter didn't reach you via the school and your child why would they try that route again. I doubt they actually bothered the doctor just got the practice to send out standard letters to all non-responders. The timing arriving on a saturday was unfortunate.
They are supposed to be taking a more joined up appraoch to these issues now with all agencies communicating and working together. so it would be expected for the school nurse office to refer to your Gp surgery if you didn't send back their form.

I had a form too as my youngest is in reception and was alarmed to see vaccinations on there that he hadn't had - not until I googled did I discover these are new ones that have been introduced only in the last year or so - well after he had his last lot of jabs - so why have they put it on the form- no 5 year old will have had them as they are baby jabs.?

Spendless

I had a text from school recently to say I hadn't signed a medical form for my child. I have 2 kids at the same school (Secondary age, they are worse at handing over forms than 5 year olds btw;)). I quizzed both children, what it was about. It was my eldest who is in yr10 and about giving him medication. He hadn't bothered giving it me on the ground he'd never required medication since he started in nursery, hey, ho.

I'm surprised they didn't contact you some other way first.

DUTR

Pleaseadvise wrote: »

I don't think the form ever reached me - that's a drawback of using 5 year olds as messengers!

My post makes pretty clear that I'm not blaming the doctor, I'm blaming the school nurse for going straight for the nuclear option, instead of trying any of the four easier ways to get hold of me!

Don't be blaming anybody!, you are aware now, so get whatever sorted sorted.

ognum

I doubt this letter was sent by the GP his/herself it was sent by a back office person. The school nurse will simply give them a list of non form returners and the admin person will send out a letter.

It is much more cost effective to do it this way, as you see OP you did react to it. Now when they do eye and hearing tests they can do everyone ratherthanhaving to return for the few who didn't get or forgot the form.

The system worked, well done to the school nurse and the GPs surgery for creating a system that enables a smooth use of the school health system.