Thursday 29 June is our annual Teen Health Boost Day wherein health professionals in the district volunteer their time to come into each school to give free health checks.

There are sight and hearing and general health assessments as well as 1:1 consults with doctors and nurses. Parents are welcome to ring in to make an appointment for their child if this seems a good opportunity to get something checked out. Tutor teachers who have noticed a student with a lingering cough or scratch or wriggle can also point that youth person in the direction of making an appointment!

All this will take place at the Cottage over lunch and period 5 next Thursday 29 June.

Students can make an appointment by coming over to the receptionist prior to the day, starting Monday 26 June. In past years there have been 7-8 clinicians available and the students chose who they need to be seen by, by reading a short bio on each one and their speciality, eg nurse- skin specialist; paediatrician; hearing nurse etc.

 For the first time, the DHB is taking this opportunity to put each student from an average year 10 class in each school through a 20 minute health check to get some data on that age cohort across the region.

10 F has been chosen as the class to be offered this. Each student has been emailed a letter home about this and also given a hard copy to take home. It is an opt-out opportunity.

Each student in 10 F will be called to the Cottage for a 20 minute full health assessment during periods 3 and 4 next Thursday. Staff involved have been informed. Anything found will be followed up with the student’s regular GP; scripts are included in the free consult.

There will be health promotion people from the district in school over the lunchtime and a BBQ and a quiz and a few things to keep the focus on health and promote healthy living as another angle to this day. This may be run the quad or if weather is too chilly the hall.