Goffs Oak Primary and Nursery School

First Aid Policy

Introduction

This policy sets out the procedures and requirements for first aid provision at Goffs Oak Primary and Nursery School. It has been written using guidance from Hertfordshire County Council, the Health and Safety Executive and the Department for ChildrenSchool and Families.

Legal requirements

The First Aid Regulations 1981 and their approved code of practice relate to the provision of first aid facilities for employees if they are injured or become ill at work. Educational establishments are required to provide first aid provision for the employees on their site. However they are also required to consider the hazards, risks and number of other non-employees on the site. Pupils are considered non-employees and so they have been given consideration when writing this policy.

First Aiders & Level of qualification

A First Aider is a person who has a valid certificate in either First Aid at Work or Emergency First Aid at Work training. The HCC and HSE recommend that for a school our size there is at least one person qualified to a minimum of Emergency First Aid at Work. At the time of writing one member of staff holds this competence assessed course, First Aid at Work. Most other members of staff have been trained in first aid. It should be noted that these qualifications are awareness certificates and not competence certificates. A list of staff members with their qualifications can be found in Appendix 1. Staff members who administer first aid according to their training in the course of their employment would be covered by employer’s liability insurance.

Procedures for treatment

It is frequently pupils who need first aid treatment. Every member of staff has basic first aid training and is capable of treating the majority of injuries and illnesses that the children sustain and suffer from. However, it is appropriate for a teacher to pass the treatment of a child over to a teaching assistant if they are teaching. When more serious injuries have been sustained then staff should seek assistance from a more qualified first aid trained member of staff. In some circumstances an ambulance will need to be called for. This should be the decision of the most experienced first aider on site and in liaison with the most senior member of staff on site at the time. It need not be the first aider who makes the 999 call but the first aider must be informed when the call has been placed. The caller must ensure they have the correct details before making the phone call.

An adult needs to go to the road and have the main access gates open. This adult needs to meet the ambulance at the roadside and direct them to the casualty by the most direct route. The first aider is required to handover to the ambulance crew and should stay until the casualty has been taken into the care of the ambulance service.

Once the ambulance has been called then the pupil’s parent or guardian should be called and asked to make their way to school to travel with their child to hospital. If the parent is too far away (approximately 20 minutes or more) or does not arrive in time then a member of school staff should travel to the hospital and stay with the child until the parent or guardian arrives. The member of staff should be the first aider or someone who the child is familiar with. The school is responsible for ensuring that the adult gets back to school safely.

Head injuries

Injuries to the head need to be treated with particular care. Any evidence of following

symptoms may indicate serious injury and an ambulance be called.

  • unconsciousness, or lack of full consciousness (i.e. difficulty keeping eyes open)
  • confusion
  • strange or unusual behaviour – such as sudden aggression or quietness
  • any problems with memory
  • persistent Headache
  • disorientation, double vision, slurred speech or other malfunction of the senses
  • nausea and vomiting
  • unequal pupil size
  • pale yellow fluid or watery blood coming from ears or nose
  • bleeding from scalp that cannot quickly be stopped
  • loss of balance
  • loss of feeling in any part of body
  • general weakness
  • seizure or fit

Where a pupil receives a head injury their parents/guardians should be informed. In the case of pupils, this should be done immediately by telephone if the above symptoms are present. For more minor bumps etc. the parent should be informed when they collect the pupil or by sending a letter home with the pupil as appropriate. A phone call before the end of the day may also be appropriate. The accident book should be completed along with a ‘red note’ (with head injury advice on the reverse). The person responsible for the class for the remainder of the day should be informed so that the pupil can be monitored, in case the above signs and symptoms occur.

First Aid Kit Contents & Locations

The main store of first aid equipment is the cupboard in the main foyer. There are also small quantities of equipment in the Year 2 and 6 classrooms. The MSA’s carry green ‘bum-bags’ for use out on the playground at lunchtimes. Spares can be obtained from the cupboard in the foyer. It is the responsibility of staff to note in the main cupboard if they take the last of something; this will ensure that replacements can be ordered. Appendix 2 details what equipment and the quantity of each that should be in each of the first aid treatment locations in the school. This list has been compiled using the guidance from the HSE. Staff must not keep extras of anything in their rooms or other locations as equipment goes out of date and cannot be easily checked if it is not in the designated locations.

Please note: the ice packs used within school must not be used with any sort of fabric cover for reasons of hygiene. Ice packs can be covered with blue paper towels before being placed on the injury. Ice packs should be wiped cleaned between each person using a medi-wipe available from the main first aid cupboard.

The Early Years Foundation Stage classroom each have a first aid kit, as does the outdoor canopy, in accordance with the EYFS statutory framework (DfE Sept 14)

Purchasing of supplies and the checking of kits

Denise Musk is responsible for the ordering of first aid supplies. This should be in conjunction with Hazle Turnbull, who is responsible for the monthly checking of all first aid supplies in the school (this includes first aid cupboards and all MSA ‘bum-bags’). This check should be carried out at the end of the calendar month and at the end of a full term. Any equipment found to be out-of-date or impaired in anyway must be immediately removed and disposed of.

First aid room

The Education (School Premises) Regulations of 1996 require that every school have a suitable room that can be used for medical treatment when required. This area should be equipped with a sink, be reasonably near a WC and need not beused solely for medical purposes. For these purposes the disabled toilet in the main foyer is the designated first aid room.

Clinical waste disposal

Any first aid equipment that has come into contact with body fluids of any description should be disposed of appropriately. Such equipment will need to be bagged and placed in the pedal bin in the disabled toilet; it will be disposed of regularly from there.

Reporting & recording

It is important after dealing with any first aid incident that it be recorded in the appropriate place. For minor injuries this should be in the school accident book stored in the main office and each EYFS classroom. The following details should be recorded as a minimum:

Name of injured person,

Class or organisation (in case of visitors and contractors),

How the injury was sustained

Injuries resulting,

Treatment given,

If parents were informed and how.

In the event of an injury to the head then a red note (with head injury advice on the reverse) should be completed and sent home with the child. The child’s teacher should also be informed so they can monitor the child for any deterioration. In some cases a phone call to the next of kin is also warranted.

For more serious injuries, and if the child is sent to hospital then the HCC accident form must be completed. This will include attaching statements from witnesses. An investigating officer needs to complete the form and this should be the person administering the treatment. The head teacher or the deputy must sign the form before it is sent to County Hall.

In some cases the HCC will ask for the incident to be reported under RIDDOR (The Reporting of Injuries, Deaths and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations). If this is the case then the advice and procedure as given by HCC should be followed.

Under the Data Protection Act and inline with the current HSE recommendations the Accident book must contain detachable sheets which when completed are stored in a secure location separate from the remainder of the book. This information has come from and is correct at the time of writing this policy. Any accident book used must conform to current UK legislation and guidance.

Aftermath

After dealing with any first aid incident it is important to clear up safely and consider any implications. If there are body fluid spillages involved then these need to be cleaned up safely and hygienically ideally with body fluid spillage kits. It may also be necessary to restock any first aid kits used in the treatment. The first aider is also the legal person responsible for recording the incident in the appropriate place (see previous). In some serious cases it may be necessary to hold a ‘debrief’ with affected members of staff and pupils. This may take the form of an informal chat or in extreme cases it may be necessary to refer the person to a professional counsellor. Where they doubt their own treatment some people may need to discuss an incident with a more experienced first aider; time should be given to this if needed.

Kitchen staff

The kitchen staffare managed by Herts Catering. They have their own first aid kits and qualifications. In the event of injury the school will support the kitchen staff if required.

Defibrillator

The school has been given a Defibrillator by the East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) and remains the property of the Ambulance Service. It is listed by the ambulance service as a Public Access Defibrillator (PAD), and as such is required to be available to the public should the need arise. EEAST will be providing suitable training for the staff in its use, but there is no requirement for a member of staff to accompany the defibrillator if it is needed by a member of the public. The defibrillator will be kept in the first aid cupboard in the foyer, with appropriate signage on the door.

Written: January 2016

Review: January 2019

Appendix 1 – Staff Qualifications

Staff Name / Role / Qualification / Qualifcation date / Epi-pen and Asthma Trained
Chris Tofallis / Head teacher / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015 / Yes
Sue O’Sullivan / Secretary / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015
Helen Fitzjohn / Bursar / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015
Ben Hemmings / Teacher/DH / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015 / Yes
Katie Loveitt / Teacher / Pediatric FA / Feb. 2016 / Yes
Rebecca Watt / Teacher / Sick Leave / Yes
Sophie Molineux / Teacher / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015 / Yes
Liz Jackson / Teacher / First Aid Awareness Course / Nov 2014 / Yes
Helen Morley / Teacher / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015 / Yes
Louise Turner / Teacher / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015 / Yes
Julie Billingham / Teacher / Emergency First Aid at Work / Jan. 2016 / Yes
Abbie Prosser / Teacher / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015 / Yes
Sue Jones / Teacher / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015 / Yes
Andrew Conios / Teacher / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015 / Yes
Cise Hussein / TA / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015 / Yes
Phillipa James / TA / Emergency First Aid at Work / Jan. 2016 / Yes
Lisa Jobson / TA / Emergency First Aid at Work / Jan. 2016 / Yes
Denise Musk / TA / Emergency First Aid at Work
Pediatric FA / Jan. 2016
Feb. 2016 / Yes
Nikki Plunkett / TA / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015 / Yes
Hazle Turnbull / TA / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015 / Yes
Kathy Marcangelo / LSA / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015 / Yes
Carol Perry / TA / Pediatric FA / Feb. 2016 / Yes
Denise Hollebrand / TA / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015 / Yes
Susan Gowenlock / TA / Pediatric FA / Feb. 2016 / Yes
Bridget Kaal / TA / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015 / Yes
Janet Harmsworth / TA / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015 / Yes
Lesley Browne / TA / Paediatric FA / Sept. 2015 / Yes
Lydia Chapman / TA / Pediatric FA / Feb. 2016 / Yes
Fred Perez / Caretaker / Emergency First Aid at Work / Jan. 2016 / Yes
Shirley Vural / Breakfast Club / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015
Louise Klendjian / MSA / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015
Diane Lydon / MSA / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015
Vicki Musk / MSA / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015
Pat Bray / MSA / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015
Mai Blair / Cleaner / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015
Yasmin Pitts / MSA / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015
Geraldine Russell / MSA / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015
Carly Hamblett / MSA / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015
Leanne Allen / Cleaner / First Aid Awareness Course / Dec. 2015

Appendix 2 – First Aid Kit Contents

Minimum provision for a first aid kit

  • One guidance card
  • Twenty individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings (assorted sizes) appropriate to the work environment (which must be detectable for the catering industry)
  • Ten non-alcohol based wipes
  • Two sterile eye pads, with attachment
  • Six safety pins
  • Six medium sized individually wrapped sterile unmedicated wound dressings (approx. 12 x 12cm)
  • Two large sterile individually wrapped unmedicated wound dressings (approx. 18x18 cm)
  • One pair of disposable gloves.

Appendix 3 - The Administration of Medications to Children.

Medicines required for children during a normal school day will be stored by the office (in the office or staffroom fridge – as appropriate). The office staff will ensure that parents/ carers sign a consent form. The office staff will sign a record of medicines administered to children including the time and dosage given. Teaching and support staff should not handle medications and should direct parents/ carers direct to the office if approached.

The exceptions to this are for those pupils that required inhalers for severe asthma or those that have severe allergies requiring the treatment of an Epi-pen. For pupils attending residential trips a designated member of staff attending will deal with all medication and administration.

Appendix 4 – Refusal of blood products

Refusal of transfusion of blood or blood components

The below is taken from the Royal College of Surgeons of England Code of Practice for Surgical Management of Jehovah’s Witnesses 2002

  • The well being of the child is paramount and if, after full parental consultation, blood is refused, the surgeon should make use of the Law to protect the child’s interests.
  • A ‘Specific Issue Order’ maybe applied for, to provide legal sanctions for a specific action such as the administration of blood, without removing all parental authority. Advice and assistance in obtaining this action should be sought from a medical social worker (These are available in most European hospitals).
  • If a child needs blood in an emergency, despite the surgeon’s best efforts to contain haemorrhage, it should be given.
  • Children of 16 can give legally valid consent for medical treatment, and children under this age can consent if they understand the issues involved. However, the Courts have proved willing to overrule the refusal of specific procedures by children.
  • The High Court is the most appropriate forum to achieve a fair and impartial hearing when conflict arises between religious, medical and ethical opinions.
  • The use of blood/blood products in life threatening situations should be based on the judgement of the clinician in charge of the patient.
  • Most operations on children do not require or involve blood transfusion. If in the opinion of the surgeon, the child is extremely unlikely to need transfusion as a result of the procedure the usual arrangements should be made to proceed with the operation. The parents should be invited to sign appropriate forms signifying their objection to blood transfusion.
  • Recognising that occasionally a transfusion will unexpectedly become necessary, the surgeon may choose to say to the parents “I will not allow your child to die for want of a blood transfusion”, unless it is, indeed, his intention to withhold blood under all circumstances. Most parents find this an acceptable way forward.