Home > Parental Information > Medical Needs Policy
Information for parents
March 2008
Adopted: May 2008
Review: March 2011
RATIONALE
Most schools will at some time have pupils with medical needs on the roll. The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) places duties on employers for the health and safety of their employees, and it is the responsibility of the employer to make sure that safety measures cover the needs of all pupils at the school. In some cases, pupils with medical needs may be more at risk than others, and additional steps may need to be taken to safeguard the health and safety of such pupils. Where individual procedures are required, individual health care plans, which include medication arrangements, may be provided for pupils with medical needs. Children with medical needs have the same rights of admission to school as other children and cannot generally be excluded from school for medical reasons. As a general rule, when a child is fit enough to return to school after suffering from a common infectious illness, there is no reason to restrict attendance or activity but the recommendations of the local Consultant in Communicable Disease Control will be followed in advising parents.
The Medicines Act (1968) places restrictions on dealings with medicinal products, including their administration, which should only be by an appropriate practitioner (e.g. a doctor). However, there are exceptions for the administration of certain medicines by injection in emergencies (in order to save life). “Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings” (DCSF/DoH 2005) supersedes all previous guidance documents for schools on dealing with medicines. Teachers and other school staff in charge of pupils have a common law duty to act as any reasonably prudent parent would to make sure that pupils are healthy and safe on school premises and this might, in exceptional circumstances, extend to administering medicine and/or taking action in an emergency. This duty also extends to teachers leading activities taking place off the school site, such as educational visits, school outings or field trips. There is, however, no legal or contractual duty on school staff to administer medicine or to supervise a pupil taking it – this is a voluntary role.
The Education (School Premises) Regulations (1996) state that every school should have accommodation for medical or dental examination and treatment, and for the care of students during school hours.
IMPLEMENTATION
As parents are responsible for their child’s medication, any parent who has a child with medical needs is required to inform the school about her individual needs. Parents are expected to keep children at home if they are acutely unwell. The Headteacher is normally responsible for deciding whether the school can assist a pupil who needs medication. Most pupils who have longterm medical conditions that need medication to be administered during school hours are able to administer it themselves and are encouraged to do so.
School staff do not, as a general rule, administer medication without first receiving appropriate information and/or training, and there are opportunities for such training for all interested staff at various times during the school year. No child under 16 may be given prescription medicines without her parent’s prior written consent. Any member of staff giving medicines to a child must check the child’s name, prescribed dose, expiry date and written instructions provided by the prescriber on the label or container. School employees do not give children non prescription medicines.
The school nurse acts as the school’s main health contact who advises on health issues and often provides any necessary support. She attends the school regularly to undertake vaccination programmes, health checks and gives advice and support to individual pupils.
Where pupils’ medical conditions could, if not properly managed, limit their access to education or put them at risk, individual health care plans are drawn up. The purpose of these plans is to ensure that school staff have sufficient information to understand and support a pupil with longterm medical needs. These plans are drawn up in consultation with parents and set out in detail the measures needed to support a pupil in school, including preparing for an emergency situation.
The information contained within these plans is treated in confidence, and is used by staff for no other purpose than to set up an effective support system. Most pupils with medical conditions will be able to participate in extracurricular sport or in the Physical Education (PE) curriculum, which is sufficiently flexible for all pupils to follow in ways appropriate to their own abilities. Any restrictions on a pupil’s ability to participate in PE should be included in her individual Health Care plan. All adults involved should be aware of issues of privacy and dignity for girls with particular needs.
A list of pupils with medical needs is compiled every year, using information from parents and from pupils’ files, and is located on the Key Stage board in the staff room so that members of staff are aware of all pupils in the school with medical needs. This is a confidential document. If shortterm (or new longterm) medical needs arise over the course of the year, the name of the pupil is added to the Medical Needs register, and staff are informed through staff briefings.
Some medication has to be readily available for use in an emergency and cannot be locked away. The relevant Director of Achievement (DoA) and the pupil concerned know where the medication is kept in case of emergency, and, in some cases, other members of staff who may have contact with the pupil are also informed (Health & Safety Officer/Receptionist). Should any medication held for emergency use be administered, parents will be notified, by telephone if possible, and a note will be made of the dose and time administered. Any member of staff responsible for storing medication should ensure that it is correctly stored. Staff should not dispose of medicines. Unless the medicines are kept in school on a longterm basis, parents are responsible for ensuring that girls take their medicines home at the end of the day or course of treatment, or parents should collect them.
The medical room is available for those pupils who become ill during the school day. If this occurs, girls are expected to go to the reception area, either on their own or with a friend to support them, with a signed, dated note from their teacher explaining the problem. The Receptionist assesses the girl, and then either allows the girl to go to the medical room while she telephones a parent/guardian, or calls for a firstaider from the list of trained staff who are available. The Receptionist ensures that girls resting in the medical room are checked at least half hourly. In the case of an accident or incident involving injury, an accident/incident report form has to be completed on every occasion. Report forms are available from reception.
The medical room is also available for health checks, vaccination programmes and for dental checks at particular times during the year.
Girls with medical needs are encouraged to participate in trips and visits. The organiser of the trip should consider what reasonable adjustments they might make to enable girls with medical needs to participate fully and safely. It may be that an additional supervisor, a parent or another volunteer might be needed to accompany a particular child. Arrangements for taking any necessary medicines will need to be taken into consideration. Staff supervising visits should be aware of any medical needs and emergency procedures. A separate risk assessment may be needed for such children. If members of staff are concerned about whether they can provide for a child’s safety, they should seek parental views and medical views from the school health service or the child’s GP.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Any member of staff may ask the Receptionist to call for an ambulance in the event of need, giving information about the exact location of the casualty. A pupil taken to hospital by ambulance must be accompanied by a member of staff, who will remain until the pupil’s parent or guardian arrives. Generally, staff should not take students to hospital in their own car. However, in an emergency it may be the best course of action. In this case the member of staff should have their car insured for business use and be accompanied by another adult.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
It is the responsibility of parents to inform the DoA or form tutors of any medical needs of their children. They may inform the Headteacher and/or deputy.
The Headteacher is responsible for deciding whether the school can assist a pupil who needs medication, and makes those decisions on the basis of encouraging regular attendance and full participation in school life, wherever practicable.
The Pupil Database Manager adds the name of the pupil to the Medical Needs register, and the DoA informs staff at staff briefing.
Members of staff add the name of the pupil to their list of students with medical needs and note the addition by means of a coding system in their mark books in order to ensure both confidentiality and awareness.
The school is responsible for ensuring that suitable accommodation for a medical room is available for the care of pupils during school hours, should they become ill.
The member of staff who is supervising a lesson or activity in which an accident takes place is responsible for completing an accident/incident form (held by the Receptionist).
If a member of staff receives a contact from a parent stating that the absence of a pupil is due to one of the following:
An increased number of reports of vomiting and/or diarrhoea occurring in pupils or members of staff and outbreaks of common childhood illnesses will also be reported to the Kent Health Protection Unit.
The Health Authority School Nurse may provide advice on nursing matters to teachers at school, and may act in a liaison capacity between the school and parents/carers where health matters need to be discussed. School Nurses may also offer support to children suffering from certain conditions, and to their families.
The school is responsible for ensuring, under an employer’s overall policy, that work experience placements are suitable for pupils with a particular medical condition. Parents and pupils must give their permission before relevant medical information is shared on a confidential basis with employers.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
Regular discussion of pupils with medical needs takes place between the relevant DoA and form tutor, at tutor team meetings and regular meetings between the DoA and DH, where there is always an item on the agenda of students causing concern.
The DH maintains an overview of all students with additional educational needs, including those with medical needs. As appropriate the members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) monitor students with additional needs and discuss areas of concern
Parents have the opportunity to comment on the arrangements for their daughters’ needs being met via parents’ consultation evenings, regular telephone contact and individual interviews.
REVIEW
The DH and DoA will review this policy regularly. The Governing Body will then consider any proposed changes for adoption.
ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE
Guidance on Communicable Disease and Infection Control in Schools and Nurseries (2004). Kent Health Protection Unit.
KCC Supplementary Guidance on Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs (Amended 2007).
Also see related pages: Letters home
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March 2008
Adopted: May 2008
Review: March 2011
RATIONALE
Most schools will at some time have pupils with medical needs on the roll. The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) places duties on employers for the health and safety of their employees, and it is the responsibility of the employer to make sure that safety measures cover the needs of all pupils at the school. In some cases, pupils with medical needs may be more at risk than others, and additional steps may need to be taken to safeguard the health and safety of such pupils. Where individual procedures are required, individual health care plans, which include medication arrangements, may be provided for pupils with medical needs. Children with medical needs have the same rights of admission to school as other children and cannot generally be excluded from school for medical reasons. As a general rule, when a child is fit enough to return to school after suffering from a common infectious illness, there is no reason to restrict attendance or activity but the recommendations of the local Consultant in Communicable Disease Control will be followed in advising parents.
The Medicines Act (1968) places restrictions on dealings with medicinal products, including their administration, which should only be by an appropriate practitioner (e.g. a doctor). However, there are exceptions for the administration of certain medicines by injection in emergencies (in order to save life). “Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings” (DCSF/DoH 2005) supersedes all previous guidance documents for schools on dealing with medicines. Teachers and other school staff in charge of pupils have a common law duty to act as any reasonably prudent parent would to make sure that pupils are healthy and safe on school premises and this might, in exceptional circumstances, extend to administering medicine and/or taking action in an emergency. This duty also extends to teachers leading activities taking place off the school site, such as educational visits, school outings or field trips. There is, however, no legal or contractual duty on school staff to administer medicine or to supervise a pupil taking it – this is a voluntary role.
The Education (School Premises) Regulations (1996) state that every school should have accommodation for medical or dental examination and treatment, and for the care of students during school hours.
IMPLEMENTATION
As parents are responsible for their child’s medication, any parent who has a child with medical needs is required to inform the school about her individual needs. Parents are expected to keep children at home if they are acutely unwell. The Headteacher is normally responsible for deciding whether the school can assist a pupil who needs medication. Most pupils who have longterm medical conditions that need medication to be administered during school hours are able to administer it themselves and are encouraged to do so.
School staff do not, as a general rule, administer medication without first receiving appropriate information and/or training, and there are opportunities for such training for all interested staff at various times during the school year. No child under 16 may be given prescription medicines without her parent’s prior written consent. Any member of staff giving medicines to a child must check the child’s name, prescribed dose, expiry date and written instructions provided by the prescriber on the label or container. School employees do not give children non prescription medicines.
The school nurse acts as the school’s main health contact who advises on health issues and often provides any necessary support. She attends the school regularly to undertake vaccination programmes, health checks and gives advice and support to individual pupils.
Where pupils’ medical conditions could, if not properly managed, limit their access to education or put them at risk, individual health care plans are drawn up. The purpose of these plans is to ensure that school staff have sufficient information to understand and support a pupil with longterm medical needs. These plans are drawn up in consultation with parents and set out in detail the measures needed to support a pupil in school, including preparing for an emergency situation.
The information contained within these plans is treated in confidence, and is used by staff for no other purpose than to set up an effective support system. Most pupils with medical conditions will be able to participate in extracurricular sport or in the Physical Education (PE) curriculum, which is sufficiently flexible for all pupils to follow in ways appropriate to their own abilities. Any restrictions on a pupil’s ability to participate in PE should be included in her individual Health Care plan. All adults involved should be aware of issues of privacy and dignity for girls with particular needs.
A list of pupils with medical needs is compiled every year, using information from parents and from pupils’ files, and is located on the Key Stage board in the staff room so that members of staff are aware of all pupils in the school with medical needs. This is a confidential document. If shortterm (or new longterm) medical needs arise over the course of the year, the name of the pupil is added to the Medical Needs register, and staff are informed through staff briefings.
Some medication has to be readily available for use in an emergency and cannot be locked away. The relevant Director of Achievement (DoA) and the pupil concerned know where the medication is kept in case of emergency, and, in some cases, other members of staff who may have contact with the pupil are also informed (Health & Safety Officer/Receptionist). Should any medication held for emergency use be administered, parents will be notified, by telephone if possible, and a note will be made of the dose and time administered. Any member of staff responsible for storing medication should ensure that it is correctly stored. Staff should not dispose of medicines. Unless the medicines are kept in school on a longterm basis, parents are responsible for ensuring that girls take their medicines home at the end of the day or course of treatment, or parents should collect them.
The medical room is available for those pupils who become ill during the school day. If this occurs, girls are expected to go to the reception area, either on their own or with a friend to support them, with a signed, dated note from their teacher explaining the problem. The Receptionist assesses the girl, and then either allows the girl to go to the medical room while she telephones a parent/guardian, or calls for a firstaider from the list of trained staff who are available. The Receptionist ensures that girls resting in the medical room are checked at least half hourly. In the case of an accident or incident involving injury, an accident/incident report form has to be completed on every occasion. Report forms are available from reception.
The medical room is also available for health checks, vaccination programmes and for dental checks at particular times during the year.
Girls with medical needs are encouraged to participate in trips and visits. The organiser of the trip should consider what reasonable adjustments they might make to enable girls with medical needs to participate fully and safely. It may be that an additional supervisor, a parent or another volunteer might be needed to accompany a particular child. Arrangements for taking any necessary medicines will need to be taken into consideration. Staff supervising visits should be aware of any medical needs and emergency procedures. A separate risk assessment may be needed for such children. If members of staff are concerned about whether they can provide for a child’s safety, they should seek parental views and medical views from the school health service or the child’s GP.
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Any member of staff may ask the Receptionist to call for an ambulance in the event of need, giving information about the exact location of the casualty. A pupil taken to hospital by ambulance must be accompanied by a member of staff, who will remain until the pupil’s parent or guardian arrives. Generally, staff should not take students to hospital in their own car. However, in an emergency it may be the best course of action. In this case the member of staff should have their car insured for business use and be accompanied by another adult.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
It is the responsibility of parents to inform the DoA or form tutors of any medical needs of their children. They may inform the Headteacher and/or deputy.
The Headteacher is responsible for deciding whether the school can assist a pupil who needs medication, and makes those decisions on the basis of encouraging regular attendance and full participation in school life, wherever practicable.
The Pupil Database Manager adds the name of the pupil to the Medical Needs register, and the DoA informs staff at staff briefing.
Members of staff add the name of the pupil to their list of students with medical needs and note the addition by means of a coding system in their mark books in order to ensure both confidentiality and awareness.
The school is responsible for ensuring that suitable accommodation for a medical room is available for the care of pupils during school hours, should they become ill.
The member of staff who is supervising a lesson or activity in which an accident takes place is responsible for completing an accident/incident form (held by the Receptionist).
If a member of staff receives a contact from a parent stating that the absence of a pupil is due to one of the following:
- Cryptosporidiosis
- Dysentery
- Diptheria
- Hepatitis A
- Impetigo
- Measles
- Meningitis
- Mumps
- Poliomyelitis
- Rubella
- Scarlet Fever
- Tuberculosis
- Typhoid & Paratyphoid
- Whooping Cough
- Diarrhoea & Vomiting (if E.coli O157)
- Streptococcal infection
An increased number of reports of vomiting and/or diarrhoea occurring in pupils or members of staff and outbreaks of common childhood illnesses will also be reported to the Kent Health Protection Unit.
The Health Authority School Nurse may provide advice on nursing matters to teachers at school, and may act in a liaison capacity between the school and parents/carers where health matters need to be discussed. School Nurses may also offer support to children suffering from certain conditions, and to their families.
The school is responsible for ensuring, under an employer’s overall policy, that work experience placements are suitable for pupils with a particular medical condition. Parents and pupils must give their permission before relevant medical information is shared on a confidential basis with employers.
MONITORING AND EVALUATION
Regular discussion of pupils with medical needs takes place between the relevant DoA and form tutor, at tutor team meetings and regular meetings between the DoA and DH, where there is always an item on the agenda of students causing concern.
The DH maintains an overview of all students with additional educational needs, including those with medical needs. As appropriate the members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) monitor students with additional needs and discuss areas of concern
Parents have the opportunity to comment on the arrangements for their daughters’ needs being met via parents’ consultation evenings, regular telephone contact and individual interviews.
REVIEW
The DH and DoA will review this policy regularly. The Governing Body will then consider any proposed changes for adoption.
ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE
Guidance on Communicable Disease and Infection Control in Schools and Nurseries (2004). Kent Health Protection Unit.
KCC Supplementary Guidance on Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs (Amended 2007).
Also see related pages: Letters home