Experts and Politicians Advocate for Nationwide School Health Professionals in Germany

A new interdisciplinary expert coalition from nursing, medicine, and patient advocacy has pushed for the nationwide introduction of school health professionals in Germany to address the specific healthcare needs of approximately 3.5 million children and youth. The call coincides with the release of an expert report on school health care in Berlin. Currently, Germany lacks a uniform system for school health specialists, relying instead on about 150 scattered professionals in select pilot projects across some federal states. Health scientist Heidrun M. Thaiss from the Technical University of Munich emphasized the necessity for political action to transform successful initiatives into consistent regulatory structures.

While many European countries have established school health professionals, Germany has so far seen only patchwork implementations. Politicians like CSU Bundestag member Emmi Zeulner advocate for a concerted effort among federal, state, and municipal governments to create a sustainable framework. The expert report highlights that school health professionals play essential roles, especially for chronically ill children, within everyday school settings.

The report calls for legislative anchoring, stable funding, and nationwide qualification standards to improve healthcare delivery and promote health competence among students. This political debate reflects a broader commitment to systematizing care for vulnerable school-aged populations in Germany.

Quotes include Thaiss's call for political measures to institutionalize projects and Zeulner’s demand for intergovernmental cooperation to overcome existing structural barriers and fragmentation in the system.