SPRING BANK PRIMARY SCHOOL

Medicines and Medical Conditions Policy 2016

Spring Bank Primary School is an inclusive community that aims to support pupils with medical conditions to ensure that they have full access to education, including school trips and physical education.

This policy is created with reference to:

  • Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (Dept of Education April 2014 (updated Dec 2015))
  • Children and Families Act 2014 (section 100)
  • SEND Code of Practice 2014 (updated Jan 2015) (6.11)
  • Equality Act 2010

This policy should be read in conjunction with the following school documents:

  • SEND policy
  • Accessibility plan
  • Asthma policy

The Headteacher accepts responsibility for members of staff who are employed, or who volunteer to actively support children with complex medical needs. Teachers are not contractually obliged to administer medication but may volunteer. These staff will be clearly stated on Individual Health Care Plans. Before any supervision/administration of medication can take place, staff must have received appropriate training from qualified medical professionals.

To enable teachers and other staff to support children with medical conditions in school, whole-staff awareness training will be made available where possible in consultation with relevant specialist healthcare professionals.

Parental Agreement and Responsibilities

Parents should provide the school with sufficient and up-to-date information about their child’s medical needs. A written consent formmust be completed by a parent or guardian and agreed by the Headteacher before any medication is given to a child.Any medication passed to a class teacher or other staff member should be checked with the SENCO or Headteacher to ensure that relevant consent forms have been completed and that other staff are made aware.

It is a parent’s responsibility to ensure that medication (eg inhalers) required in school is available and in date.

Notification of medical needs

The school nursing service are responsible for notifying the school when a child has been identified as having a medical condition which will require support in school. Parents also have a responsibility to ensure that school are aware of any medical requirements so that arrangements can be made to support their child. Where we are informed before a child starts, we will aim to have support in place in time for the start of the relevant school term. In other cases, such as a new diagnosis or children moving to a new school mid-term, every effort will be made to ensure that arrangements are put in place within two weeks.

Storage of Medication

Asthma inhalers and epi-pens must be stored in the classroom in a labeled box. All other agreed medications should be stored in the school office unless other arrangements have been agreed through the Individual Healthcare Plan. Some medication may need to be stored in the school fridge or in a locked cabinet attached to the wall. Keys to the box should be clearly labeled with the child’s name. Only named members of staff may access the medication

Disposal of Medication

When no longer required, medicines must be returned to parents for safe disposal. Sharps boxes should be used for the disposal of needles and other sharps.

Inhalers and Epi-pens

Spring Bank Primary School has achieved Asthma-Friendly status from NHS West Leeds CCG. More detailed information on how the school supports pupils with asthma is available in the Asthma Policy.

Emergency Salbutamol inhalers are kept in every classroom, with spacers available for the younger children. Guidance on their use (from Emergency Inhalers in School, Dept of Health, March 2015) is kept with the inhalers and also on display in the staff room. Children may only use the emergency inhaler with written permission from parents; an asthma register is kept in every classroom with the emergency inhaler, on display in the staff room and also in the Inhaler file in the office.

Parents are informed in writing (and where possible, face-to-face) when their child has had to use the emergency inhaler in school.

If a child in school requires an epi-pen for a serious allergy, it is the responsibility of the parents to inform staff and ensure that an epi-pen is kept in school. Epi-pens are kept in the classroom in a labelled container. School staff will receive relevant training from the School Nursing Team.

Agreed Medication

All agreed medication must be labeled with the child’s name and it is the responsibility of the child’s parents to keep medication up to date. Any member of staff giving medication must check: the pupil’s name; that there are written instructions provided by the parent or doctor; the prescribed dose and the expiry date of the medication. If staff are in doubt they should not give the medication until these things have been checked and the full details known.

Record Keeping

All staff who supervise/administer medication must complete a record showing the child’s name, date, time, medication and dosage given and the name of the adult supervising or administering. A copy of the pupil’s Individual Healthcare Plan must be kept with the record. Parents/Guardians must be informed of any events on the same day, including details of medication given, time and dose.

Long Term Medical Conditions

All children with medical conditions are identified on registers available in the staff room and each classroom. Information about children with serious medical conditions and allergies is displayed in the staffroom, school kitchen and individual classrooms.

Individual Health Care Plans and Risk Assessments

Where children have a long-term medical condition, an Individual Healthcare Plan will be drawn up in consultation with the child (where appropriate), parents and healthcare professionals. This will be reviewed at least annually or when needs change.

Risk assessments for school trips, residentials and other activities outside the normal timetable will be agreed by the Headteacher, staff and the Governing Body.

Use of Non Prescription Medicine

Staff will only administer non-prescription medicine such as painkillers to children with long term medical needs who have an Individual Healthcare Plan. Written information from a Healthcare Professional must be provided before any non-prescription medication can be given to a child. The pupil must be supervised by two people whilst s/he takes any non-prescription medicine. Date, time, medication, dosage and names of the supervising adults should be recorded in a named book kept with the medication.

For short-term conditions (such as pain relief following a broken bone), it may be necessary, in exceptional circumstances, for non-prescription medication to be taken in school. This should only happen following discussion with the Headteacher and a written consent form must be completed by the parent. Only enough medication for the day should be brought in and this must be handed to office staff in the morning. Supervision and recording should take place as above.

Use of Prescription Drugs for Children with Long Term Medical Needs

Prescription drugs, including insulin, will only be administered by staff who have received appropriate training, are named on the Healthcare plan and who have been employed to assist with medical needs or have volunteered to do so. Written advice from a Healthcare professional must be provided before any prescription medication is administered.

Short term medical needs

Where clinically possible, parents should request medicines to be prescribed in dose frequencies which enable them to be taken outside school hours (for example antibiotics 3 times a day, preventative inhalers).Where a doctor states that this is not possible, parents should complete a consent form and medication should be brought to the office in the morning and collected at the end of school.

Spring Bank Primary School will only accept prescribed medicines if these are in-date, labelled, provided in the original container as dispensed by a pharmacist and include instructions for administration, dosage and storage. The exception to this is insulin, which must still be in date, but will generally be available to school inside an insulin pen or a pump, rather than in its original container.

Emergency Procedures

For all children, with or without identified medical needs, if in doubt phone 999.

School Trips and Visits

An emergency pack must be taken on all educational visits. This should include the necessary medication, Individual Health Care Plan, emergency contact details, details of the nearest hospital, pupil risk assessment and mobile phone. All pupils with long term medical needs must be supervised 1:1 on all educational visits and risk assessments must clearly indicate how these children are to be supported.

Medication such as travel sickness tablets should only beadministered by staff who have volunteered and with written agreement from parents.

Fire Safety/Evacuations

A Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan (PEEP) drawn up by the Headteacher, in consultation with SENCo, must be in place for all pupils whose long term medical needs are supported in school.An emergency inhaler will be taken out of the building by office staff (where this presents no risk to staff safety) in the event of a fire or evacuation.

Parents must provide the school with full information regarding their child’s medical needs. Teachers who have pupils with medical needs in their class should understand the child’s condition and when and where that pupil requires additional attention.Supply teachers and teaching assistants should be made aware of any medical needs in their class on arrival. All staff should seek assistance from the Headteacher or SENCo if they require further information to fulfil their role in supporting children in school. Staff must report any deterioration in a child’s health to the Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher in their absence.

Agreed By Staff

Agreed By Governors

September 2016