POLICY DEALING WITH SCHOOL MEDICAL PROCEDURES AND CHILDREN’S MEDICAL NEEDS.

Staff and governors have written this policy with reference to the good practice guide Supporting Pupils With Medical Needs produced by the DfEE (1996). The school recognises that some children with medical needs will require care and support at school.

This policy has been written to ensure that staff, parents and children understand systems and procedures.

Identification of medical problems on entry into school.

Parents fill in a section concerning health and medical problems on the Admissions Form upon entry into the school.

The school does not, as a rule, administer any form of drugs or analgesic.

The school, with parental consent, assists children with long term and complex medical needs in the following ways:

· ensuring all staff are aware of those needs by means of a formal note

· if necessary, making available a photograph of the child together with an action plan

· ensuring that children have the right conditions of privacy or times of day for medication to be administered

Staff training: it is the responsibility of the headteacher to ensure that the school has first aid cover and on-going training. A health care plan may reveal the need for some school staff to have further information about a medical condition or specific training in administering a particular type of medication or in dealing with emergencies. In the rare circumstance of staff giving medication, this should only be done with the appropriate advice or training from health professionals. If members of staff volunteer to assist a pupil with medical needs, the school should arrange appropriate training in conjunction with the Health Authority.

Record keeping: the bursar/secretary keeps all formal agreements and pro-formas in her office in the accident box file. Records of accidents to children and staff are kept in the accident book. Copies are sent to the L.E.A when appropriate. There are annual reviews of all children’s medical records.

Emergency: in staff handbook. In the event of serious accidents emergency services are be contacted first. Guidance on calling an ambulance is provided. (see Appendix 4) A member of staff will remain until the pupil’s parent arrives and if necessary will accompany a pupil taken to hospital by ambulance.

Generally staff should not take pupils to the local health centre or hospital in their own car. However, in an emergency it may be the best course of action. The member of staff should be accompanied by another adult and have public liability vehicle insurance.

Communication and information: In the event of a child being unwell at school:

· parents are be informed

· emergency contacts are informed in the event of parents being unavailable

· there is use of medical room with adult supervision for KS2 children and the secretary’s room for KS1 children

Parents and staff should keep each other well informed if there is any significant deterioration in a pupil’s health.

Short term medical needs: parents administer medicines to their own children.

It is helpful if, where possible, medication can be prescribed in dose frequencies which enable it to be taken outside school hours. Parents should be encouraged to ask the prescribing doctor or dentist about this.

Long term medical needs (Appendix 2): It is important for the school to have sufficient information about the medical condition of any pupil with long term medical needs. If a pupil’s medical needs are inadequately supported this can have a significant impact on a pupil’s academic attainment and/or lead to emotional and behavioural problems. The school therefore needs to know about any medical needs before a child starts school, or when a pupil develops a condition. For pupils who attend hospital appointments on a regular basis, special arrangements may also be necessary. The school will draw up a written health care plan for such pupils, involving the parents and relevant health professionals. This can include:

· details of a pupil’s condition

· special requirements e.g. dietary needs, pre-activity precautions

· medication and any side effects

· what to do, and who to contact in an emergency

· the role the school can play

Administering medication: no pupil will be given medication without his or her parent’s written consent. In the rare event of staff giving medication (such as Ritalin) to a pupil, s/he should check:

· the pupil’s name

· written instructions provided by parents or doctor

· prescribed dose

· expiry date

and store in a locked medication cabinet.

If in doubt about any of these procedures, the member of staff are check with the parents or a health professional before taking further action. (Appendix 3)

Refusing medication: If pupils refuse to take medication, school staff are not to force them to do so. The school will inform the child’s parents as a matter of urgency. If necessary, the school will call the emergency services.

School trips: we encourage pupils with medical needs to participate in school trips, wherever safety permits. Sometimes the school may need to take additional safety measures for outside visits. Parents will give staff information on medical and dietary needs on a form supplied by the school. Staff supervising excursions are always aware of any medical needs, and relevant emergency procedures. Sometimes an additional supervisor or parent might accompany a particular pupil. If staff are concerned about whether they can provide for a pupil’s safety, or the safety of other pupils on a trip, they should seek medical advice from the School Health Service or the child’s doctor.

Sporting activities: Most pupils with medical conditions are encouraged to participate in extra-curricular sport or in the PE curriculum, which is sufficiently flexible for all pupils to follow in ways appropriate to their own abilities. The staff feel pupils can benefit from physical activity, overall social, mental and physical health and well being. Any restrictions on a pupil’s ability to participate in PE are included in their individual health care plan.

Some pupils may need to take precautionary measures before or during exercise, and/or need to be allowed immediate access to their medication if necessary. Teachers supervising sporting activities are aware of relevant medical conditions and emergency procedures.

Storage and access to medication: special locked medication cabinets are provided in classrooms. The headteacher is responsible for making sure that medicines are stored safely. Pupils should know where their medication is stored and who holds the key. A few medicines, such as asthma inhalers, are readily available to pupils and are not locked away. KS2 pupils carry their own inhalers marked with their names in full (not initialed). Other medicines are kept in a secure place not accessible to pupils. Inhalers (named) for KS1 pupils are easily accessible. If the school locks away medication that a pupil needs in an emergency, all staff know where to obtain keys to the cabinet.

Suitable waste disposal bags are always available.

Health Care Plan (Appendix 1): The main purpose of an individual health care plan for a pupil with medical needs is to identify the level of support that is needed at school. A written agreement with parents clarifies for staff, parents and the pupil the help that the school can provide and receive. A review will be conducted at least once year.

The school judges pupil’s needs individually as children vary in their ability to cope with poor health or a particular medical condition. However, the school’s medication policy is applied uniformly. The headteacher does not make value judgments about the type of medication prescribed by a registered medical or dental practitioner.

The school has adapted the form in Appendix 1. Those who may need to contribute to a health care plan are:

· the headteacher

· the parent or guardian

· the child (if sufficiently mature)

· class teacher

· support staff

· school staff who have agreed to administer medication or be trained in emergency procedures

· the school health service, the child’s GP or other health care professionals (depending on the level of support the child needs)

Confidentiality: The headteacher and school staff treat medical information confidentially. The head will agree with the pupil (where he/she has the capacity) and parents, who else should have access to records and other information about a pupil. If information is withheld from staff, they are not to be held responsible if they act incorrectly in giving medical assistance otherwise in good faith.

Intimate or invasive treatment: staff protect the dignity of the pupil as far as possible, even in emergencies. When appropriate two adults may be present to ease practical administration of treatment.

APPENDIX 1

Healthcare Plan for a Pupil with Medical Needs

Text Box: PHOTO

Name ………………………..……..………

Date of Birth …………………………….

Condition ……………………...…………

Class/Form ……………………….……..

………………….………...…………………

………………………………………………

Name of School ………………………….

PHOTO

CONTACT INFORMATION

Family contact 1

Name ……………………………………..

Phone No. (work) …………………..

(home) …………………..

Relationship ……………………………...

Clinic/Hospital contact

Name ……………………………………..

Phone No. …………………………………

Describe condition and symptoms

Date ……………………………………….

Review Date ……………………………..

Family contact 2

Name ……………………………………...

Phone No. (work) ……………………

(home) ……………………

Relationship ……………………………….

G.P.

Name ……………………………………..

Phone No. ………………………………..

APPENDIX 2

Request for school to administer medication

Example form for parents to complete if they wish the school to administer medication

The school will not give your child medicine unless you complete and sign this form, and the Headteacher has agreed that school staff can administer the medication

DETAILS OF PUPIL

Surname: …………………………………… Forename(s) ……………………………………

Address: ………………………………………………………………. M/F: ………….

………………………………………………………………………… Date of Birth: …………

…………………………………………………………………………… Class/Form: ………….

Condition or illness: ………………………………………………………………………………

MEDICATION

Name/Type of Medication (as described on the container) …………………………………...

For how long will your child take this medication: …………… Date dispensed: ……

Full Directions for use:

Dosage and method: ……………………………. Timing: ……………………………………

Special Precautions: ………………………………………………………………………………

Side Effects: ………………………………………………………………………………………..

Self Administration: ………………………………………………………………………………..

Procedures to take in an Emergency: …………………………………………………………….

CONTACT DETAILS

Name: ……………………………………………… Daytime Telephone No ………………...

Relationship to Pupil ………………………………………………………………………………

Address: ……………………………………………………………………………………………...

I understand that I must deliver the medicine personally to [agreed member of staff] and accept that this is a service that the school is not obliged to undertake.

Date: …………………………………………. Signature: ……………………………………….

APPENDIX 3

Medication Log

Date	Pupil’s Name	Time	Name of Medication	Dose Given	Any Reactions	Staff Signature	Print name

APPENDIX 4

Emergency Planning

Request for an Ambulance to Sonning Common Primary School

Dial 999, ask for ambulance and be ready with the following information

1. Your telephone number

2. Give your location as follows:

Grove Road

Sonning Common

Near Reading

Oxfordshire

3. State that the postcode is RG4 9RJ

4. Give exact location in the school

5. Give your name

6. Give brief description of pupil's symptoms

7. Inform Ambulance Control of the best entrance and state that the crew will be met and taken to the pupil

Speak clearly and slowly and be ready to repeat information if asked

AMENDMENT SHEET FOR ALL POLICY STATEMENTS

POLICY ON SCHOOL MEDICAL PROCEDURES

POLICY NUMBER 49

DATE POLICY RATIFIED: SPRING 2002

DATE POLICY LAST REWRITTEN: SPRING 2002

Review Date	Page	Line	Amendment
Spring 2002			Written