Updated with Dfe Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions April 2014

Updated with DfE Supporting Pupils at School with medical Conditions April 2014

.

StanbridgeLowerSchool

Medical Procedures Policy

Reviewed Sept 2014

Named Person and Delegation / Section 3
Notification of Medical Need / Section 4
Healthcare Plans / Section 5
School Nurse / Section 6
Parents / Section 7
Staff Training / Section 8
The Child’s Role in Managing Medicines / Section 9
Managing Medicines on School Premises / Section 10
Record Keeping / Section 11
Emergencies and Hospilisation / Section 12
Day Trips, Residentials and Visits / Section 13
Unacceptable Practice / Section 14
First Aid / Sections 15 - 20
Effective Hygiene Control / Section 21
Administration of Medicines / Section 22
Asthma / Section 23
Continence / Section 24
Anaphylactic Shock/Food Allergies / Section 25
Seizures and Epilepsy / Section 26
Allegations against Staff / Section 27
Liability and Indemnity / Section 28
Complaints / Section 29

1. RATIONALE

1.1 Pupils at school with medical conditions will be properly supported so they have full access to education, including school trips and physical education and at StanbridgeLowerSchool we will ensure health and social care professionals, pupils and parents are consulted to ensure children with medical needs are supported well.

1.2 We will ensure all children with long and complex medical needs, medical needs associated with disability and children who have accidents in school are given high quality care and assistance.

1.3 At Stanbridge we will ensure arrangements are in place to support pupils with medical conditions and in doing so ensure that such children can acess and enjoy the same opportunities at school as any other child.

1.4 We aim to ensure children with medical conditions receive a full education. In some cases this will require flexibility and involve, programmes of study that rely on part time attendance at school in combination with alternative provision arranged by the local authority. We will focus on the needs of each individual child and how their medical condition impacts on their school life, their learning and their progress.

1.5 No child with a medical condition will be denied admission into StanbridgeLowerSchool.

However, in line with safeguarding duties, we will ensure that pupils’ health is not put at unnecessary risk from, for example infectious diseases. We therefore will not accept a child in school at times where it would be detrimental to the health of that child or others.

1.6 We will ensure we give medical assistance or treatment to a casualty for any injury,illness or condition before the arrival [if thought necessary] of a parent, ambulance or doctor.

2. AIMS

2.1 To follow guidelines set down by the DfE statutory guidance for governing bodies of maintained schools in England called Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions April 2014.

2.2 We will follow this statement by:-

• Supporting the emotional and social wellbeing of pupils with medical conditions.
• Support the educational attainment and progress of pupils with medical conditions.
• Working with parents, children and healthcare professionals to write healthcare plans.
• Ensuring staff have enough training to carry out their responsibilities confidently and that training reflects the needs of the children.
• Assessing the risk, including environments
• Identifying the problem and seeking the First Aider or their deputy.
• Providing treatment and reassurance.
• Arrange medical aid.
• Carrying out record keeping.
• Keeping the Head Teacher informed.
• Administering medicines
• Completing a letter to parents informing them of any relatively serious injuries, including head injuries. At this point the Head Teacher and/or the First Aider on duty will decide whether or not the child should be sent home.

2.3 To stand in “loco parentis” fulfilling the duty of care for pupils, administering medicines and following medical procedures set down in this policy.

2.4 Ensuring that pupils with medical conditions can and do participate fully in all aspects of school life, including art lessons, PE, science, visits, outings or field trips and other out-of-hours school activities, by recognising and working together with all parties to ensure medical conditions are treated effectively in school.

3. NAMED PERSON AND DELEGATED RESPONSIBILITES

3.1 The Head Teacher (or in her absence the Senior Teacher) will take overall responsibility for this policies implementation.

3.2 The Head Teacher delegates the following tasks for the day to day implementation of this policy

• First Aiders: Mrs Yvonne Patterson and Mrs Tracy Davies (First Aiders) who will be responsible for

-Ensuring all relevant staff are made aware of the a child’s condition and provide all staff with a medication conditions sheet for the whole school

-Provide all staff with an asthma register detailing children who have asthmas across the school

-Brief supply teachers and staff when key staff are absent

-Ensure all medication kept on school premises is kept accessible and in some cases secure in the medical room.

-Are responsible for all medicines kept in school.

-Ensure all key forms and records are kept up to date and staff complete the relevant forms with parents.

• SENCo:

- Ensuring all relevant staff are made aware of a child’s needs in relation to their medical condition

- Ensure all individual health plans are monitored and reviewed annually or when needed.

• Teachers, Supply Teachers, Cover Supervisors, Pre-school and Before and After School Club Leaders/Assistants:

-Ensure they seek out all medical information relating to all pupils in their class/set/group/club over the course of the year and when taking over a new class at the beginning of each school year.

-Pass on this information to relevant staff in school eg SENC0, Cover Supervisor etc.

-Ensure they have risk assessed for school visits, holidays and other school activities outside of the normal timetable to cater for the needs of individual children.

-Ensure they take all a child’s emergency information, supplies, medication and medical equipment when leaving the school premises on trips, visits, swimming lessons etc.

4. NOTIFICATION THAT A PUPIL HAS A MEDICAL CONDITION

4.1 All information should be passed to the SENCo who will ensure that within two weeks (if responsibly practical) the following actions are put into place.

• Meet with the parents to gather all information about the needs of the child.
• Liaise with key healthcare professionals (if needed) and set up a healthcare plan
• Ensure all key staff are informed about the medical need
• Arrange for staff to be trained in relation to the medical need.
• Liaise with the Head Teacher regarding any issues relating to equipment needed, and access requirements.

5. HEALTHCARE PLANS

5.1 HealthcarePlans help ensure schools effectively support pupils with medical conditions.

5.2 Individual Healthcare Plans (and their review) may be initiated in consultation with the parent, by a member of school staff or a healthcare professional involved in profiding care to the child. Plans should be drawn up in partnership between the school, parents and a relevant healthcare professional, eg school, specialist or children’s community nurse, who are best advised on the particular needs of the child. Pupils should also be involved whenever appropriate.

5.3 The aim should be to capture the steps which a school should take to help the child manage their condition and overcome any potential barriers to getting the most from their eduation.

5.4 Partners agree who should take the lead in writing the plan, but responsibility for ensuring it is finalised and implemented rests with the SENCo at our school.

5.5 Healthcare Plans should be reviewed at least annually or earlier if evidence is presented that the child’s needs have changed.

5.6 Where the child has a special educational need identified in a Education Health Care Plan (EHC) the individual healthcare plan should be linked to or become part of that EHC.#

5.7 Where a child is returning to school following a period of hospital education or alternative provision (including home tutoring) schools should work with the LA and education provider to ensure tha the individual healthcare plan identifies the support the child will need to reintegrate effectively.

5.8 Healthcare Plans should contain the following information

• Medical condition, its triggers, signs, symptoms and treatments
• The pupil’s resulting needs, including medication (dose, side-effects and storage) and other treatments, time, facilities, equipment, testing, access to food and drink where this is used to manage their condition, dietary requirements and environmental issues (crowded corridors, travel time between lessons etc)
• Specific support for the pupil’s education, social and emotional needs eg. How absences will be managed, requirements for extra time to complete exams, use of rest periods, or additional support in catching up with lessons, counselling sessions.
• The level of support needed,(some children will be able to take responsibility for their own health needs), including in emergencies. If a child is self-managing medication, this should be clearly stated with appropriate arrangements for monitoring;
• Who will provide this support, their training needs, expectations of their role and confirmation of proficiency to provide support for the child’s medical condition from a healthcare professional; and cover arrangements for when they are unavailable.
• Who in the school needs to be aware of the child’s condition and the support required
• Arrangements for written permission from parents and the Head Teacher for medication to be administered by a member of staff, or self administered by the pupil during school hours.
• Separate arrangements or procedures required for school trips or other school activities outside of the normal school timetable that will ensure the child can participate, eg risk assessments
• Where confidentiality issues are raised by the parent/child, the designated individuals to be entrusted with information about the child’s condition
• What to do in an emergency, including whom to contact and contingency arrangements. Some children may have an emergency healthcare plan prepared by their lead clinician that could be used to inform development of their individual healthcare plan.
• (see Appendix A)

5.9 Other pupils in school should know what to do in general terms, such as informing a teacher immediately if they think help is needed.

6. THE SCHOOL NURSING SERVICES

6.1 At Stanbridge we have access to the school nursing services. The are responsible for notifying school when a child has been identified as having a medical condition which requires support in school, before they start school.

6.2 They will support staff in implementing a child’s individual healthcare plan and provide advice and liaison, for example on training.

7. PARENTS

7.1 Parents should provide school with sufficient and up to date information about their child’s medical needs.

7.2 They should carry out any action they have agreed to as part of the healthcare plan eg provide medicines and equipment and ensure they or another nominated adult are contactable at all times.

7.3 Parents know their children best and should be willing to work in partnership with the school and healthcare professionals to develop healthcare plans when needed.

7.4 Parents should be informed if their child has been unwell at school.

8. STAFF TRAINING

8.1 All relevant staff will receive training to support a pupil with specific medical needs. This will be organised and identified preferably before the pupil starts school and be linked to the medical needs identified on the healthcare plan. The relevant healthcare professional will lead and advise on identifying and agreeing the types of training necessary.

8.2 Key members of staff who provide support to pupils with medical conditions will be included in meetings where this is discussed. If this is not possible a report will be included from the key members of staff involved in supporting the pupil with the medical condition.

8.3 All staff members will be included receive Appointed Persons Training (First Aid) as part of our INSET training programme and key members of staff in different sections of the school will be hold a full first aid certificate and a paediatrics first aid certificate.

8.4 Staff must not give prescription medicines or undertake healthcare procedures without the appropriate training. A first aid certificate does not constitute appropriate training.

8.5 All staff members will received whole school awareness training linked to medical conditions affecting pupils in our school at the appropriate times. EG Epipen training, asthma training, seizure training.

8.6 Families of children with medical conditions can often provide relevant information to school staff about how their child’s needs can be met and parents should be asked for their views. They should provide specific advice, but should not be the sole trainer.

9. THE CHILD’S ROLE IN MANAGING THEIR OWN MEDICAL CONDITIONS

9.1 After discussions with parents, children who are competent should be encouraged to take responsibility for managing their own medicines and procedures. This should be reflected within individual healthcare plans.

9.2 Whereever possible, children should be allowed to carry their own medicines and relevant devices or should be able to access their medicines for self-medication quickly and easily and they may require appropriate supervision when they do so.

9.3 If a child refuses to take medicine or carry out a necessary procedure, staff should not force them to do so, but follow the procedure agreed in the individual healthcare plan. Parents should be informed so that alternative options can be considered.

10. MANAGING MEDICINES ON SCHOOL PREMISES

10.1 Medicines should only be administered at school when it would be detrimental to a child’s health or school attendance not to do so.

10.2 Parental Consent: No child under 16 should be given prescription or non-prescription medicines without their parent’s written consent – except in exceptional circumstances where the medicine has been prescribed to the child without the knowledge of the parents. In such cases, every effort should be made to encourage the child to involve their parents, whilst respecting their right to confidentiality.

10.2 Pain Relief: A child under 16 should never be given medicine containing aspirin unless prescribed by a doctor. Medication eg for pain relief, should never be administered without first checking maximum dosages and when the previous dose was taken. Parents should be informed.

10.3 Dose: Where clinically possible, medicines should be prescribed in dose frequencies which enable them to be taken outside school hours.

10.4 Prescribed Medicines: schools should only accept prescribed medicines that 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 schools inside an insulin pen or a pump, rather than in its original container.

10.5 Storage: All medicines should be stored safely. Children should know where their medicines are at all times and be able to access them immediately. Where relevant, they should know who holds the key to the storage facility. Medicines and devices such as asthma inhalers, blood glucose testing meters and adrenaline pens should be always readily available to children and not locked away. This is particularly important to consider when outside of school premises and on school trips.

10.6 Controlled Drugs: a child who has been prescribed a controlled drug may legally have it in their possession if they are competent to do so, but passing it to another child for use is an offence. Monitoring arrangements will be necessary. Otherwise we will keep controlled drugs that have been prescribed for a pupil securely stored in a non-portable container and only named staff should have access. Controlled drugs should be easily accessible in an emergency. A record should be kept of any does used and the amount of the controlled drug held in school. School staff may administer a controlled drug to the child for whom it has been prescribed. Staff administering medicines should do so in accordance with the prescriber’s instructions. A record of all medicines administered to individual children, stating what, how and how much was administered, when and by whom. Any side effects of the medication to be administered at school should be noted.

10.7 Returning Medication: when no longer required, medicines should be returned to the parent to arrange for safe disposal.

10.8 Disposal of Sharps: Sharps boxes should always be used for the disposal of needles and other sharps

11. RECORD KEEPING

11.1 Records offer protection to staff and children and provide evidence that agreed procedures have been followed.

12. EMERGENCIES AND HOSPILISATION

12.1 If a child needs to be taken to hospital, staff should stay with the child until the parent arrives, or accompany a child taken to hospital by ambulance.

13. DAY TRIPS, RESIDENTIALS AND SPORTING ACTIVITIES

13.1 Teachers should be aware of how a child’s medical condition will impact on their participation and there should be enough flexibility for all children to participate according to their own abilities and with any reasonable adjustments, unless evidence from a clinician such as a GP states that this is not possible.

13.2 A risk assessment must be completed to take account of any steps needed to ensure that pupils with medical conditions are included. This will require consultation with parents, pupils and advice from relevant healthcare professionals.

14. UNACCEPTABLE PRACTICE

14.1 Although school staff should use their discretion and judge each case on its merits with reference to the child’s individual healthcare plan, it is not generally acceptable practice to..

• Prevent children from easily accessing their inhalers and medication and administering their medication when and where necessary
• Assume that every child with the same condition requires the same treatment
• Ignore the views of the child or their parents; or ignore medical evidence or opinion, (although this may be challenged);
• Send children with medical conditions home frequently or prevent them from staying for normal school activities, including lunch, unless this is specified in their healthcare plan
• If the child becomes ill, send them to the school office or medical room unaccompanied or with someone unsuitable.;
• Penalise children for their attendance record if their absences are related to their medical condition eg hospital appointments.
• Prevent pupils from drinking, eating or taking toilet or other breaks whenever they need to n orde to manage their medical condition effectively;
• Require parents, or otherwise make them feel obliged, to attend school to administer medication or provide medical support to their child, including with toileting issues. No parent should have to give up working because the school is failing to support their child’s medical needs.
• Prevent children from participating, or create unnecessary barriers to children participating in any aspect of school life, including school trips, eg by requiring parents to accompany them.

15. FIRST AID - RECORDING