Most pupils will at some time have a medical condition that may affect their participation in school activities and for many this will be short-term. Other pupils have medical conditions that, if not properly managed, could limit their access to education. Most children with medical needs are able to attend school regularly and, with some support from the school, can take part in most normal school activities. We are committed to ensuring that children with medical needs have the same right of access as other children.
There is no legal duty that requires schools and staff to administer medication, this is a voluntary role. The ‘duty of care’ extends to administering medication in exceptional circumstances, and therefore it is for schools to decide their local policy for the administration of medication.
The Role of Parents/Carers
Parents/carers should, wherever possible, administer or supervise the self-administration of medication to their children. This may be by spacing the doses so that they are not required within school hours, or by the parent/carer coming in to school at lunch time to administer the medication. However, this might not be practicable and in such a case parents/carer may make a request for medication to be administered to the child at school.
If medicine needs to be administered during school time, then a parent or carer must bring it to the school office and fill in the Parental Consent to Administer Medicine form.
Medication must not be given to class teachers or brought into school by the child themselves. If medication is for a short term condition, any remaining medication must be collected from the office by a parent or carer at the end of the school day.
Non-Prescription Medication
Where possible, the school will avoid administering non-prescription medicine.
Prescription Medication
Prescription medicines should be administered at home wherever possible, for example medicines that need to be taken 3 times a day can usually be taken before school, after school and at bed time. Parents are encouraged to ask the GP to whether this is possible. Prescription medicines will only be administered by the school where it would be detrimental to a child’s health if it were not done.
Medicines should always be provided in the original container as dispensed by a pharmacist and include the prescriber’s instructions for administration. School should never accept medicines that have been taken out of the container nor make changes to dosages on parental instruction.
Prescribed long - term medication, will be kept in a cupboard in your child's classroom in a clearly labelled box containing our medication protocol. A second Epi-pen or inhaler for each child who requires, should be provided to kjeep at school in asddition to one at honme.
Administering Medicines
When a member of staff administers medicine, they will check the child’s Administration of Medication Permission and Record form against the medication, to ensure that the dose and timing are correct. They will then administer the medicine as required, and record this. For long-term medication, a Parental Consent to Administer Medicine form will be used as necessary.
Emergency Inhalers
In line with “Guidance on the use of emergency salbutamol inhalers in schools” March 2015, the school will keep emergency reliever (blue) inhalers for the emergency use of children whose own inhaler is not available for any reason. They are stored in the main school office, along with appropriate spacers.
Use of Medical Care Plans
Medical Care Plans are used to: inform the appropriate staff about the individual needs of a student with a medical condition in their care, remind students with medical conditions to take their medication when they need to and, identify common or important individual triggers for students with medical conditions at school that bring on symptoms and can cause emergencies.
