Medical Needs and Administering Medication Policy

East Wichel Community Primary School and Nursery

Supporting Children with Medical Conditions

Administering Medicines and Sickness Policy

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

This policy has been written from local authority guidance by school staff, in conjunction with the Headteacher and with approval by Governors. There is no legal requirement for school staff to administer medicines. Staff are expected to do what is reasonable and practical to support the inclusion of all pupils.

 

The Children and Families Act 2014, from September 2014, places a duty on schools to make arrangements for children with medical conditions. Pupils with special medical needs have the same right of admission to school as other children and cannot be refused admission or excluded from school on medical grounds alone. However, teachers and other school staff in charge of pupils have a common law duty to act in loco parentis and may need to take swift action in an emergency. This duty also extends to teachers leading activities taking place off the school site. This could extend to a need to administer medicine.

The prime responsibility for a child’s health is the parent and they should provide the school with medication and information about the child’s condition.

 

AIMS OF THIS POLICY

 

1. To assist parents by providing on-going care and support of children with long term medical needs via a health care plan
2. To ensure the safe administration of medicines to children where necessary and to help to support attendance
3. To explain the roles and responsibilities of school staff in relation to medicines and provide ongoing training in relation to children with medical needs
4. To clarify the roles and responsibilities of parents in relation to children’s attendance during and following illness
5. To outline to parents and school staff the safe procedure for bringing medicines into school when necessary and their storage
6. To outline the safe procedure for managing medicines on school trips

 

 

Entitlement

The school accepts that pupils with medical needs should be assisted if at all possible and that they have a right to the full education available to other pupils.

The school believes that pupils with medical needs should be enabled to have full attendance and receive necessary proper care and support.

 

The school accepts all employees have rights in relation to supporting pupils with medical needs as follows:

• Choose whether or not they are prepared to be involved;
• Receive appropriate training;
• Work to clear guidelines;
• Have concerns about legal liability;
• Bring to the attention of management any concern or matter relating to supporting pupils with medical needs.

 

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

 

HEADTEACHER

 

• To bring this policy to the attention of school staff and parents and to ensure that the procedures outlined are put into practice
• To ensure that there are sufficient First Aiders and appointed persons for the school to be able to adhere to this policy
• To ensure that staff receive appropriate support and annual medical needs training and know what to do in an emergency
• To ensure that parents are aware of the school’s Medicines Policy
• To ensure that this policy is reviewed bi-annually

 

STAFF

• Admin: New intake children – medical needs when identified on forms should be shared with the teachers and non-teaching staff and SENCO.       

• To follow the procedures outlined in this policy using the appropriate forms
• To complete a health care plan in conjunction with parents and relevant healthcare professionals for children with complex or long term medical needs
• To share medical information as necessary to ensure the safety of a child
• To retain confidentiality where possible
• To take all reasonable precautions to ensure the safe administration of medicines
• To contact parents with any concerns without delay
• To contact emergency services if necessary without delay
• To keep the first aid boxes stocked with supplies – class TAs
• Educational Visits Leader – see ‘MEDICINES ON SCHOOL TRIPS’ below
• Medical list to be available on teacher’s cupboard door.
• To annually update the medical lists and distribute to teachers and SENCO

 

PARENTS/CARERS

 

• To give the school adequate information about their children’s medical needs prior to a child starting school
• To follow the school’s procedure for bringing medicines into school. Medicines should be in a prescribed container with a measuring spoon.
• To only request medicines to be administered at school when essential

• To ensure that medicines are in date and that asthma inhalers are not empty
• To notify the school of changes in a child’s medical needs, e.g. when medicine is no longer required or when a child develops a new need, e.g. asthma

 

SCHOOL ATTENDANCE DURING/AFTER ILLNESS

 

• Children should not be at school when unwell, other than with a mild cough/cold
• Symptoms of vomiting or diarrhoea require a child to be absent from school and not to return until clear of symptoms for 48 hours
• Children should not be sent to school with a rash caused by any contagious illness
• Any other symptoms of illness which might be contagious to others or will cause the child to feel unwell and unable to fully participate in the school day require the child to be absent from school

 

SAFE ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINES AT SCHOOL

 

• All children with a medical condition at this school have an individual healthcare plan (IHP), which explains what help they need in an emergency.
• Medicines should only be brought to school when essential, i.e. where it would be detrimental to the child’s health if the medicine were not administered during the school day. In the case of antibiotics, only those prescribed four times a day may be administered at school
• Only prescribed medicines (including eye drops) in the original container labelled with the child’s name and dosage will be accepted in school
• Medicines will not be accepted in school that require medical expertise or intimate contact unless prior arrangement through health care plan or personal care plan
• All medicines must be brought to the school office by an adult. Medicines must NEVER be brought to school in a child’s possession
• The adult is required to complete a parental agreement form with the school office for the medicine to be administered by school staff
• Tablets should be counted and recorded when brought to the office and when collected again
• Painkillers, such as Paracetamol or Ibuprofen, may NOT be brought into school unless prescribed
• Administration of medicines at school must be recorded on the medicines form and witnessed by a second member of staff
• Parents may come to the school office to administer medicines if necessary
• Some children may self-administer medication, e.g. insulin, if this has been directed by the parents when filling in the medicine form
• If a child refuses to take medicine, staff must not force them to do so. The refusal should be recorded and parents informed
• Medicines must be kept in the locked cabinet in staffroom.

 

STORAGE OF MEDICINES

 

• Antibiotics (including antibiotic eye drops) must be stored in the fridge
• Tablets must be stored in the locked medicines cupboard in the staffroom
• Epipens should be stored in the classroom
• Asthma inhalers should be stored in the child’s classroom within the child’s reach and labelled with their name and should be taken with the child during physical activities
• Anithistamine eye drops for severe hay fever must be stored in the staffroom
• No medicines, other than asthma inhalers, may be kept in the classroom
• Parents are responsible for the safe return of expired medicines to a pharmacy

 

MEDICINES ON SCHOOL TRIPS

 

Children with medical needs are given the same opportunities as others. Staff may need to consider what is necessary for all children to participate fully and safely on school trips. Staff should discuss any concerns about a child’s safety with parents.

 

• The Educational Visits Leader is responsible for designating a school First Aider for the trip
• The Educational Visits Leader is responsible for ensuring that arrangements are in place for any child with medical needs prior to a trip taking place, including ensuring that asthma inhalers are carried as required. A copy of any relevant health care plan should be taken on the trip
• The designated school First Aider on the trip will administer any medicines required and record the details on the School Trips Medical Form
• The First Aider will return the form and any unused medicines to the parent.

 

Reviewed November 2019

Next Review September 2022

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Record sheet for administering medicines in school.

 

Child’s Name_________________________________ 

 

Medicines ____________________________________