I have written in previous blogs,
and in many papers and conference presentations, of the importance of touch in
therapeutic relationships. It can be a difficult subject to talk about against
the Me Too context. However, last week I saw some brilliant examples of
how touch was being used effectively and appropriately in therapeutic
relationships. These relationships were very brief, and could be measured in
minutes, not sessions, days or weeks. I was with our School Nurses, who were
running Covid-19 vaccination clinics in schools for 12 -15 year olds.
The programme was highly
ambitious, a potential logistical nightmare to organise, but a great example of
how to do collaborative partnership working well. Thanks go to Jen Connolly (Director
of Public Health, Stockport), Ben Fryer (Consultant in Public Health) and Anita
Rolfe (Stockport CCG) who worked with Fran Jackson, our Service Lead for School
Nursing at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, to help make the programme a
success. There were 17,000 eligible 12-15 year old's across the area and over the 7 weeks of the
programme, some 6,612 children have received their Covid jab. There was a ‘day on day’ increase of
children and young people taking the opportunity to get vaccinated, and all
those who did so, were informed and eager to get protected. Of course, when I
spoke with the children after they had been jabbed, any anxiety had melted away
and they were mainly nonchalant, said it was no big deal, and they were just glad
they were now protected.
These important vaccinations
contributed to over 500,000 Covid jabs being given in Stockport over the past
12 months – a tremendous achievement.
The vaccination hub I visited was
in the school hall of Marple Hall School; a school whose ambition is to become ‘the
most successful School in the country’. I think they are likely to succeed
too. Joe Barker, the Head Teacher seemed to be remarkably buoyant and enthusiastic,
which given the school has some 5,500 pupils, is probably testament to his
professionalism and approach. He also writes a weekly blog, which is something
in others I greatly admire.
The school is situated behind a
high fence, and like many others, had a locked electronic gate to get through.
A kind receptionist rescued me, and after signing in, I was able to join the
session. Given there were 30 or so children in the room, there wasn’t as much
noise as I thought there might be. Everything was ordered and well thought
through. I was able to first meet some of the team, and it was quite a large
and assorted one too. There were a group of very cheerful folk from the local
authority Covid Advice and Testing Team, who were busy inputting all the
immunisations onto the national system; there was a lady from Everest Pharmacy,
who drew up the vaccines used during each session; two lead nurses, (Fran being
one of these); two colleagues who supported the programme logistics, planning
each session and then managing each session’s administration, and then there
were the immunisers themselves.
What a team! I was able to speak
with them all, both about what they did in their day job and how they had
experienced the vaccination programme. I have to say I was amazed at the scope
of their professional practice. They all ran community clinics and school-based
clinics for the HPV vaccination programme, undertook health assessments, were
part of safeguarding committees and ran health clinics offering support and
advice to young people regarding lifestyle choices, self-harm, depression,
relationships, weight issues, sexual health, and a couple which I thought were
a sign of the times, smoking cessation and gender identity. Each School Nurse
had a case load of about 2,500 children and young people, and the scope of
their clinical practice was enormous.
I did like the description they
gave of the sessions they ran on relationships and sex education, which again
covered very contemporary issues around consent, sexual abuse, sexting,
contraception, all of which the children preferred hearing from the School
Nurses rather than their teachers! In the vaccination session, it was clear
that the children and young people were very relaxed and accepting of the
School Nurses. I watched a number of the children getting their vaccinations. I
was struck by the gentleness and kindness of the nurses. Each child was treated
like they were only one that mattered in that moment. Some children were
obviously anxious and I saw hands been held, a hug being given, a pause for a
word or two of encouragement. It was compassionate care at its finest.
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