All students entering government or private schools in the Cayman Islands for the first time are required to have health screenings.

Noting that this includes students entering reception programmes, School Health Coordinator Nurse Carvell Bailey adds: “The Education Department mandates that these screenings must be completed before the new school year begins in September.”

The screening includes a growth and development assessment, screening for vision and hearing, a dental assessment, the administration of necessary immunisations and obtaining a student’s personal medical history.

Public Health Department staff will conduct the screenings which are free to all students. For those entering schools in West Bay and the Eastern districts, health screenings will take place at the district health centres from 1 to 30 June 2016.

For all other students, health screenings will take place at the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre Campus (CIFEC) from 6 July to 22 August 2016 .

Appointments can be made at the school the child will be attending. Nurse Bailey reminds parents and guardians that they need to accompany their children to the health screening. They should also bring the child’s immunisation record.

“Vaccines will be offered to children whose immunisations are not up-to-date. A health screening certificate will then be issued, which is to be taken to the child’s school,” she explained.

Parents may have their child’s health screenings done by a private doctor, as long as that doctor completes the school health screening forms provided by the Public Health Department.

The completed forms should be handed in at the CIFEC Campus (old John Gray High School administrative building) between 6 July and 22 August, from 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Outside of these dates, the forms can be taken to the Cayman Islands Hospital’s Public Health Clinic.

Once the record has been received, a health screening certificate will be issued which must then be taken to the school that the child will be entering in September.

In Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, appointments for school entry screenings can be made by contacting Public Health Nurse Paula Moore-Simpson at Faith Hospital on 948-2243/244-7643.

Detailed information sheets for parents and guardians are available at the schools. For more information, please contact Nurse Carvell Bailey on 244-2734 and 244-2648.

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IMAGE: www.johnstonschools.org