School Nurse Messaging Service Works

22 January 2014, 07:24 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Teenagers have told Capital they're more likely to ask their school nurse for advice if they can text instead of have a face-to-face chat.

Capital's been told young people are more likely to talk about their problems if they can do it anonymously.

That's why a school in Leicester have started using an app that let's them text the school nurse rather than meet in person.

Judgemeadow Community College is one of three pilot sites where Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust has been testing a school nurse messaging service.

Young people in the school can speak to a school nurse by text message, or through a secure downloadable app, rather than waiting to visit a school nurse at a weekly clinic in school.

4000 young people have been using the service for the last 6 months.

'More contact from teenage boys'

School Nurse at Judgemeadow Community College, Dawn Batson:

'We've had more new students contacting school nurses since they've been able to contact us through the school nurse messaging service.

'We've also had more contact from teenage boys who are usually less likely than girls to approach a healthcare professional and talk about their problems.'