School Health Nurse
Secondary schools within Oxfordshire have a named NHS School Health Nurse. The aim of the School Nurse is to offer evidence-based, accessible, preventative health care for children and young people.
My name is Mel Venables and I am the NHS School Health Nurse for Didcot Girls' School.
Mobile: 07833 239676 (text or call)
Email: mel.venables@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk
I work closely with other professionals and school staff to support students to be both physically and emotionally healthy, make informed healthy lifestyle choices, improve physical and emotional health, and to reach their full potential.
I work Mondays and Wednesdays or Thursdays (alternating each week) during term time and appointments can be made to see me on a day that best suits the student. I am based in the wellbeing bungalow by Cockcroft building.
Appointments
To make an appointment students can either:
- Contact me on my phone or email as above
- Ask a member of staff to make an appointment for them
- Drop a note in the secure confidential box next to my door.
** Referrals may also be accepted from parents / carers or members of staff.
Drop-in Sessions
I hold regular drop-in school nursing sessions where no appointment is needed. These sessions take place at Monday lunch times and break times.
Examples of what your School Health Nurse can offer include:
- Someone the student can talk to confidentially about their health, including physical health, emotional health, sexual health, general wellbeing or any other health related topics they might like advice, information or support with.
- Immunisations
- Advice and support about healthy choices (eg keeping safe, drugs, alcohol, quitting smoking, exercise, maintaining healthy growth/weight, dental health)
- Contraception, including emergency contraception, contraceptive pills, injections and condoms; pregnancy testing; chlamydia screening and treatment.
- Provide teaching sessions and support teachers with delivery of PSHE.
- Provide information and signpost to specialist services which may be able to support the student
- Provide information and advice to parents
If we cannot help, we will find someone who can.
Note to students:
The school nursing service is not an emergency service. If you or a friend are in need of immediate nursing or medical help, please contact a member of staff on site who will locate a member of staff trained in first aid. If you are off-site in the case of an emergency, please call 999.
If you are in need of emergency contraception outside of the school nurses working hours, please attend your GP practice, local sexual health clinic or local pharmacy as soon as you can- visit www.oxme.info for further details. Emergency contraception is most effective if taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex.
If you need to contact the school nursing team during the school holidays, you can phone 07769235149 or email SHN.oxfordshire@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk
Confidentiality:
The School Nursing service is confidential. This means you can discuss personal information with us and we will not discuss it with anyone else without your permission, unless we feel that you or another may be at risk of harm. If information needs to be shared, we will always try to discuss this with you first so that you know why and what will happen.
