SCHOOLS in East Lancashire have been urged to employ nurses in a bid to tackle childhood obesity.

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said school nurses have the ‘unique opportunity’ to help improve some of the key issues facing children’s health – with one in three children in the UK overweight, and one in five classed as obese.

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And Simon Jones, Blackburn with Darwen’s division secretary for the National Union of Teachers Lancashire branch, agreed. He said: “You don’t see school nurses very much any more. In my experience it’s not a common sight with school nurses one of the things that have gone by the wayside.”

Mr Jones said nurses within schools often got to see children who are kept away from their regular GP and said he would ‘welcome’ their return with open arms.

Fiona Smith, professional lead for children and young people’s nursing at the RCN, said: “School nurses play a critical role in the health of our children yet their work is so often overlooked – and undervalued.

“Our conference illustrates the wide range of issues school nurses tackle on a daily basis, from conditions such as epilepsy to behavioural disorders like ADHD.

“They are talented, multi-skilled nursing staff who deserve immense recognition.

“Unlike any other health professional, school nurses work with children and education staff on a daily basis. However, investment is fundamental if we are to begin solving this crisis in children’s health and build a healthy and prosperous future population.”

Despite steadily growing numbers of school pupils, figures have shown a decrease in school nurses since 2010.

Children’s services boss at Blackburn with Darwen Council, Cllr Maureen Bateson, said school nurses had vanished from the classroom because of funding cuts.

“We had school nurses who came to school to check up on our health and things like that.”