The Health Centre is central to our pastoral care provision here at Sherborne Boys. We take enormous pride in providing our community with safe, responsive and effective healthcare. Our experienced and dedicated team offer exceptionally high standards of care to every patient, delivered with compassion, care and knowledge.
Welcome
The Health Centre is located at 26 Acreman Street, DT9 3NX near the entrance to the Sports Centre car park. During term time we are staffed by a registered nurse, both day and night.
Our premises include two clinical treatment rooms, main reception, waiting room, management office, 12 inpatient beds with a range of washing and toileting facilities. Our beds offer a comfortable place to be cared for whilst unwell but also provide that safe quiet space for those that need to take time away from the business of school life.
Our services
We offer a range of services, from managing acute illness to helping support chronic conditions such as diabetes, asthma, and allergies. We are a talented team of experienced health care professionals, including School Doctors (NHS General Practitioners (GPs)) from Yetminster Health Centre, a local NHS surgery, an Independent Nurse Prescriber, School Nurses, a Health Care Assistant and a Health Centre Administrator. Each member contributes to our wealth of knowledge and ability. This means boys are in very safe hands with any sporting injuries, illnesses, and medical conditions they may experience. Pastoral care and emotional support are also central to our Health Centre offering, which helps us promote and support pupil wellbeing.
Communication is vital to ensure safe and effective care is delivered. We rely on regular communication with our pupils and their parents to ensure we have the most recent information regarding pupil health and wellbeing.
Please ensure the Health Centre is updated by emailing healthcentrestaff@sherborne.org with any changes to medication, health or wellbeing, including sharing information from external services or private appointments.
The Health Centre and pastoral care team works closely together to make sure pupils receive excellent health and wellbeing support. This includes referral to other appropriate services as required.
Accessing an appointment
We are open and available both day and night for any emergency or urgent matter, but to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum we operate an appointment system for all routine requirements that are scheduled outside of lesson times. Typically, a registered nurse will initially triage the request, which may lead to nursing treatment or advice, or an appointment with either the School Doctor or Independent Nurse Prescriber as appropriate. We have excellent access to our dedicated School Doctors who are pivotal in the high-quality care we provide.
To make an appointment at the School Health Centre during term time, please either:
• healthcentrestaff@sherborne.org
• 01935 810539
• Speak to a member of staff in your boarding house
The pupil will receive an email to their school email address the day before their appointment, detailing the date and time they should attend. The house staff are also notified of the date and time of the appointment to help support the pupil to attend. The emails will not give any information about the reason for the appointment.
Sometimes you will be invited to an appointment that you are not aware of, this may be for a planned injury review, condition monitoring, medication review or perhaps a vaccination.
If you are unable to attend the appointment, please contact the Health Centre. Appointments are very valuable and another pupil may be able to use it.
Meet our team
TEAM LEADER
MARIE HUTCHINGS
Our Health Centre Nurse Manger leads the healthcare team. Marie has over 20 years’ experience as a registered nurse, has worked in various clinical and leadership roles within the NHS and has worked as the Nurse Manager since 2015. Marie is also an Independent Nurse Prescriber and is the Mental Health Lead, a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and a member of the Pastoral Team.
Our doctors
DR RICHARD NICKINSON
Primary qualifications: MBBS, MRCGP
Richard is an experienced GP, who has been the Medical Officer for Sherborne Boys since 2021. His clinical interests include musculoskeletal medicine and men's health.
DR HELEN (ALEX) NICKINSON
Primary qualifications: BSc (Hons), MBBS, MRCGP
Alex is an experienced GP, who has been part of the medical team at Sherborne Boys since 2024. Her clinical interests include paediatrics and adolescent health care.
DR KATHRYN ARMITAG E
Primary qualifications: MBChB, MRCP, MRCGP, DRCOG
Kathryn is an experienced GP, who has been part of the medical team at Sherborne Boys since 2024. Her clinical interests include respiratory medicine and gastroenterology.
Our School Nurses
JENNIFER BRILL
• Jenni is a paediatric nurse with over 20 years’ experience in children’s settings including palliative care, complex care, public health, and A&E. As a school nurse, Jenni values the opportunity to support emotional and physical wellbeing while building caring, trusting relationships within the wider school community.
• Her approach is compassionate and person-centred, with a strong focus on creating safe, supportive environments where students feel heard, valued, and cared for.
HANNAH DOCHERTY
• Hannah has 14 years’ experience as a paediatric nurse, working in an Emergency Department setting for 10 years. Hannah has worked at Sherborne Boys Health Centre since spring 2025. She enjoys the holistic approach to the care provided, the variety each day brings and the use of her clinical and decision-making skills.
KIERA LINHAM
• Kiera is a paediatric trained nurse with great experience working in international schools. She is dedicated to providing excellent student care and fostering a collaborative environment to help meet healthcare goals.
KATIE MAY
• Kate is an experienced paediatric nurse who has worked at Sherborne Boys since 2016. She qualified as a nurse from the University of Surrey in 2000 and began her career at Bristol Children’s Hospital. Kate has since gained valuable experience including surgical, medical, renal and oncology care. Kate also has prior experience in independent school nursing, as well as paediatric nursing at Yeovil District Hospital both in the inpatient setting and Accident and Emergency. Kate enjoys working with young people and values the variety and reward that each day brings in her role.
Our Health Care Assistant
MEL PENLINGTON
Mel has worked at Sherborne Boys since 2012. She joined the Health Centre as our HCA in 2023 after previously working as an assistant matron. She collects boy's medications and ensures their safe delivery to the boarding houses, as well as spending her time caring for and supporting the boys during their stay. Mel has worked with people of all ages in nurseries, schools and homecare provision and enjoys taking care of people.
Our Health Centre Administrator
SAM GARDNER WAY
Sam has worked at Sherborne Boys since 2015. She has a background in business development, marketing, and PR. She enjoys working in an educational environment with young people.
Referrals
We often make referrals to other specialities or services in the NHS as you would routinely expect from your registered GP. This may range from referral for investigations such as x-rays or ultrasounds, to specialists such as paediatricians or orthopaedic consultants. Some NHS services have long waiting lists and often families may prefer to access private services. We can help facilitate referrals to these as appropriate.
If a pupil receives private medical care, please ensure the Health Centre is updated with copies of clinic letters, so we can update medical records and provide appropriate safe care.
Prescriptions
When a pupil is prescribed a medication, the prescription is taken to Abbey Pharmacy. When it is dispensed, it is delivered to house and locked in the house drug cupboard ready for use. Clinically urgent prescriptions are usually dispensed by pharmacy the same day if available. Non clinically urgent prescriptions will take a few days to be dispensed from pharmacy.
Those sixth form pupils who are able and willing to self-administer prescribed medication, will be assessed by the duty nurse. They will be instructed where to collect and how to store their medication as appropriate. All other pupils will be administered their medication by house staff. Controlled drugs prescribed by the Health Centre are also delivered to house once dispensed by pharmacy. These are signed into the house controlled drugs storage facility and must be administered by staff.
All controlled drugs that are supplied from home undergo asafety check in the Health Centre prior to being administered to boys, therefore please always supply in the original packaging
complete with pharmacy label and send a copy of the clinic letter.
Repeat prescription requests are actioned promptly by the Health Centre, but sometimes may require a medication review prior to being authorised. The pharmacy dispensing process may take a few days, therefore we encourage pupils, parents, and house staff to email requests for repeat prescriptions 7-10 days before supply runs out.
Pupils requiring repeat prescriptions during the school holidays are provided with postdated prescriptions before the end of term. These prescriptions can then be taken to your local UK pharmacy to be dispensed on the appropriate date. If you do not use these, please return them to the Health Centre at the start of the next term. Overseas pupils will be sent home with enough dispensed medication to last the holiday. Matron routinely manages requests for repeat prescriptions prior to holidays, but parents are encouraged to liaise regarding this.
External appointments
There may be times where pupils need appointments at other health facilities, such as hospitals or clinics. Often a parent or guardian prefers to attend the appointment with the pupil. If a parent is unable to attend, the boarding house team will facilitate and support attendance as appropriate. When staff attend external appointments, they will report back to the Health Centre and family accordingly.
Out of term time
Continuity of care is provided by Yetminster Health Centre yetminsterhc.nhs.uk. If a health matter or query arises during the holidays, please contact them directly either by phone on 01935 872530 or email at yetminster.reception@nhs.net. Their postal address is Church Street, Yetminster, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 6LG.
If a pupil is unable to travel to Yetminster for a face-to-face appointment during this time and a telephone appointment is not appropriate, they can be seen as a temporary patient at your local surgery. Please do not register with this surgery, as they will request the medical records which thereby removes them from Yetminster Health Centre practice, and means they are no longer registered at school. Repeat prescriptions are managed pro-actively by the Health Centre before the end of term to prevent the need to request repeat prescriptions during the holidays. Please liaise with us or Matron to ensure your holiday requirements have been identified to us before the end of term.
Consent
The law states that people aged 16 or over are entitled to consent to their own treatment. This can only be overruled in exceptional circumstances, or if there are significant concerns about their ability to make a properly informed decision.
Children under the age of 16 can consent to their own treatment if they are believed to have Gillick competence.
Parental consent is also very important. We seek this from parents prior to pupil admission to School for medical treatment, drug administration etc. We request any updates to consent on an annual basis. There will also be occasions where we send you consent forms for external services such as NHS immunisation clinics.
We will always do our best to contact parents in emergency situations, but staff working in loco parentis are able to act in rare emergency situations if required.
Confidentiality/ Communication
Medical matters and information are strictly confidential, our health care professionals are very familiar and experienced in managing this. Medical information is only shared when the pupil has given their consent. On occasion, a pupil will request complete confidentiality which we have a responsibility to protect unless there is a safeguarding or best interest indication to do so. Please note, we always encourage our pupils to consent to us sharing information as appropriate on a need-to-know basis.
Many medical matters do not require strict confidentiality, for example a twisted ankle or a concussion. In this instance it is appropriate for the Health Centre to direct treatment or recovery care with appropriate staff in the School community, such as House staff or via the ‘off activities’ list. This rarely clashes with our commitment to confidentiality.
Medication in House
The School Medication Policy is available on request and provides full details regarding our management of medication within the School environment. Here is some key information with regards to medication administration:
• All medication must be handed in to House staff, supplied in the original packaging complete with pharmacy label. This must be medication licenced for use in the UK, with pharmacy labels written in English. We are unable to administer oversees unlicenced medication here at School.
• Parents must notify the Health Centre and House staff if there are any changes to pupil health and medication requirements
• Sixth Form pupils only may be permitted to administer their own prescription only medication following assessment in the Health Centre
• Controlled drugs must be safety checked in the Health Centre prior to being administered in House. This means the medication and pharmacy label instructions must match the most recent clinic letter from the specialist overseeing treatment. Please ensure a clinic letter is forwarded to the Health Centre after every review.
• Over the Counter (OTC) medications provided in every house include paracetamol, ibuprofen, cetirizine, Anthisan, simple linctus, Olbas Oil, throat lozenges, Gaviscon, arnica cream, Deep Heat cream, Stugeron, and Hedrin. If parents provide a different OTC medication, this must be named, in the original packaging, with a completed parental consent form (available from Matron or the Health Centre)
• Pupils requiring emergency medication
o Anaphylactic pupils are required to always carry two adrenaline autoinjectors.
Aspare device is kept in House with their Allergy Action Plan
o Asthmatic pupils are required to always carry a reliever inhaler. A spare device is kept in House
o Diabetic pupils are required to carry treatment as specified in their Individual Welfare Plan, with spare supplies kept in House
o Other conditions may also require emergency treatment access and can be discussed with the Health Centre
Vaccinations
UK childhood immunisation programme
We follow the UK childhood immunisation programme.
Vaccination records for those previously registered in the UK are available to the Health Centre following registration with the School Doctors. Those vaccinated overseas are required to submit records as part of the school joining forms.
Routine vaccinations on the UK schedule are administered by the NHS Dorset School Age Immunisation Service (SAIS). They visit school on pre-agreed dates to deliver targeted vaccination clinics. There is a separate consent process for these clinics managed by the SAIS. Further information and links to consent forms will be sent to parents prior to any clinic.
Travel
vaccinations
Our Health Centre nurses have completed additional training to facilitate this additional scope to their practice. As such, we offer a comprehensive travel service, advising on travel health issues and arranging vaccinations here at the Health Centre when requested from parents.
Some travel vaccinations are available free of charge on the NHS, others are available privately and are charged accordingly.
Parents are encouraged to contact the Health Centre 8 to 12 weeks prior to travel, to begin the risk assessment and consent process.
Pupil Illness
Minor illness symptoms such as a short-lived headache or a minor abrasion are easily managed in House, where staff are trained and experienced to issue basic first aid and stock non-prescription medication. For all other issues the pupil will be seen and assessed in the Health Centre. There are many reasons that a pupil may need to be admitted to the Health Centre, most common are infectious illnesses or clinical monitoring. The Health Centre is also a safe space where a pupil may need to come to support their pastoral care. If a pupil requires a period out of school due to illness, it may be pupil and family preference for the pupil to return home. The Health Centre will liaise with family as appropriate during the period of admission.
Chronic
Condition Care
Our pupils with chronic conditions (such as asthma) are very well cared for by our experienced team. Routine NHS annual reviews are performed through the Health Centre and our staff work proactively with other specialist teams to ensure the best care for the pupil.
Health Promotion
Health Promotion is a natural part of every clinical interaction involving the nursing team. Information is available in various formats as appropriate to the pupil, including visual displays of health information. Health promotion topics that may be discussed include healthy eating, smoking cessation, nicotine addiction and sexual health.
Medicals
All pupils attend the Health Centre shortly after starting School for a medical check. This is an opportunity for pupils to familiarise themselves with the Health Centre setting and our nursing staff. During the medical, baseline measurements will be taken, and opportunistic screening performed.
Other services
Physiotherapy
Abbey View Physiotherapy are our private physiotherapy provider, working out of the Sports Centre on Monday and Tuesday afternoons. A referral may be recommended by the Health Centre, but equally parents are very welcome to make contact directly to request physiotherapy assessment and treatment.
Abbey View Physiotherapy provide a team of highly qualified, dynamic physiotherapists with specialist interests in developing adolescents. They provide support from dyspraxic movement patterns to honing sprinting technique. They have an inhouse Performance Nutritionist with a special interest in maximising development potential.
In addition to routine physiotherapy, Abbey View Physiotherapy offer a ‘MOT’ to incoming students which is chargeable. Here they can get to know pupils, assess any underlying movement issues, postural imbalances, specific issues that if addressed during this critical development stage, can improve
their chances of avoiding injuries and more marked imbalances that could lead to lasting damage.
The most common injuries for developing teens are often the easiest to screen for; OsgoodSclatters, Sever’s, anterior knee pain, ankle sprains, groin strains, shoulder pathology and instability. Once screened, the pupil could be given a tailored program to help them correct any imbalances, such as strengthening the joints, drills to improve foot skills, core exercises to help maximise their playing potential whilst avoiding injuries. A standard individual screen typically takes 45 minutes and id charged via invoice to parents directly.
All physiotherapy sessions are charged via invoice from Abbey View directly to parents. Please be aware that cancellations are charged if given less than 24 hours notice
Abbey View can be contacted via telephone 01747 856719 or email info@abbeyviewphysiotherapy.com
Counselling
Counselling services are provided on the School site at 1 Finger Lane. We have two therapists who provide our counselling service, Paul Wiggall and Veronica Rosello. Pupils may self-refer for counselling by emailing counsellor@sherborne.org, or they may speak to a member of House Staff or the Health Centre to make the referral for them.
PAUL WIGGALL
Paul has been working at the school, as School Counsellor, since 2016. Prior to this, he worked for 5 years as a mentor of adolescent boys, in Somerset Social Services. He also works as a psychotherapist in private practice, as well as a Supervisor. In addition, he has taught on the
Bereavement course, for a local hospice. He has a Masters Degree in Psychotherapy; a Diploma in Psychotherapy, as well as a Certificate in Pastoral Counselling and has, in total, more than 35 years experience, first as a Counsellor, then as a Psychotherapist.
VERONICA ROSELLO
Veronica is a qualified counsellor and clinical supervisor accredited with BACP. An active member of the Children & Young People Branch of BACP, speaking at conferences on developments in school counselling.
Veronica has held counsellor roles in boarding schools in the UK and internationally since 2006. She began training in 2002 after 14 years in teaching and continues to be in education part-time, in a Pastoral or SEN capacity and trainer of counsellors and teachers.
Mother to three grown up children, it is the multidisciplinary aspect of working in boarding schools that Veronica most enjoys, with lived experience of each of the key stakeholder groups parent/educator/pastoral team. Veronica has qualifications in MA Counselling & Psychotherapy, B.Ed Hons, QTS, PGCert Clinical Supervision, Adv Dip Counselling, Specific training in counselling Children & Young People includes PGCert UWE, Adolescent DBT with APT and Accredited Mindfulness Now Teacher.
Important Contacts
SHERBORNE BOYS HEALTH CENTRE
Main Contact during Term-Time, closed during School Holidays
