Lordswood Girls’ School & Sixth Form Centre

This policy is called: / Administration of medicines and supporting students with medical needs
It applies to: / Lordswood Girls’ School and Sixth Form Centre
Person responsible for its revision: / Headteacher
Status: / Part of statutory procedures
Website: / On Website and Staff Launch Page
Approval by: / Governing Body
Updated: / Over a period July 2014 – May 2015, ongoing updates if required
Review frequency: / Annually
Date of approval: / May 2015
Next approval: / May 2017
Contents / Page No
RATIONALE / 2
IMPLEMENTATION
Record keeping / 2
Storage of medicines / 3
Short term medical needs / 4
Non-prescription medicine / 4
Long term medical needs / 4
Sporting activities / 5
Staff training / 5
School trips and visits / 5
MONITORING / 6
LIABILITY AND INDEMNITY / 6
COMPLAINTS / 6
LINKS TO OTHER POLICIES / 6
Appendix A / Guidance for supporting students with asthma / 7
Guidance on anaphylaxis / 9
Guidance for supporting students with diabetes / 9
Guidance for supporting students with epilepsy / 11
Guidance on sickle cell and thalassaemia / 12
Guidance on sun protection / 13
Appendix B / Parental agreement for setting to administer medicine / 14
Appendix C / Record of medicine administered to an individual child / 15
Appendix D / Model process for developing individual healthcare plans / 17

RATIONALE

This policy has been developed in line with DfE and Local Authority guidelines. This document forms part of the school’s Health and Safety and Safeguarding procedures.

This policy has been developed in order to support staff who may find themselves teaching a class when a student becomes ill or where there is a student with a medical issue. Specific guidance on supporting students with a particular condition is contained in Appendix A of this policy.

Many students will need to take medication at school at some time in their school life. Mostly this will be for a short period only; to finish a course of antibiotics or apply a lotion. To allow students to do this will minimise the time they need to be off school. The Headteacher accepts responsibility, in principle, for school staff giving or supervising children taking prescribed medication during the school day. Staff who administer medicine or supervise a pupil taking it, however, do so on a purely voluntary basis.

IMPLEMENTATION

Record keeping

  • Parents are responsible for supplying information about their child’s medical condition and medicines which s/he needs to take whilst at school. They should also notify the school of any changes to the prescription or the support needed. A form is available from the main school office which should be completed giving details of medication needs (Appendix B). This form should then be returned to the Attendance Officer who will liaise with the

Health Care Co-ordinator to arrange an interview to discuss long-term care and complete an individual healthcare plan, if applicable.

  • The school actively seeks to find out about students’ existing medical conditions prior to when a student joins the school. Each primary school is visited and information given is recorded on the student’s file. Parents complete an admissions form which asks for details of the family doctor and they also attend an interview where details of on-going medical conditions are again requested. The Health Awareness Booklet lists all students in school with medical conditions and is given to all staff at the beginning of the academic year. A copy is also kept in the school office and one is placed on the Health Information Board in the staffroom. New information is communicated to staff via the Staff Briefing sessions.
  • When the school is informed of a new medical condition, the school will follow the Model Process for developing individual healthcare plans within a 2 week period. (Appendix D) The medical condition does NOT need to be formally diagnosed before this can take place.
  • All students reported by parents/carers as having an on-going medical condition will be reviewed by the Health Care Co-ordinator and an Individual Healthcare Plan devised and put in place. The Individual Healthcare Plans will be available to staff on the S Drive/Student Data/Medical Information.
  • The Health Awareness booklet is also issued to supply teachers by the Cover Co-ordinator.
  • A record of medication administered to students in school is maintained in the medication held in school folder.

Storage of medicines

  • All students are encouraged to carry and administer their own emergency medication, when their parents and health specialists determine they are able to take responsibility for their own condition. All students should carry their emergency medication with them at all times, except if they are controlled drugs as defined in the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. This is also the arrangement on any off-site or residential visits.

Students who do not carry and administer their own emergency medication know where the medication is stored and how to access it. Medicines which need to be stored should be handed into the school office to be stored in a safe and secure place. The medicine should be in the original container dispensed by the chemist and must be clearly labelled with:

- name of student

- name of medicine

- strength of medicine

- dose

- when it should be given

- length of treatment date/stop date, where appropriate

- any other instructions

- expiry date whenever possible

The medicine should have been dispensed within the last 3 months.

  • Medicines which need to be refrigerated will be stored in the medication refrigerator in the main office at both schools.
  • Students with asthma should have their own inhaler with them at all times. However, the school should be provided with a spare inhaler, prescribed and labelled, which will be stored in the school office.
  • The Health Care Co-ordinator is responsible for ensuring that information on medication is accurate and up to date and that the medication has not reached its expiry date. She is also responsible for checking the cupboard regularly and disposing of any medicine which is no longer required.
  • It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure that the medication remains in date, however medication will be checked periodically and parents will be reminded to replace out of date medication.
  • Students who require lifesaving medication eg. Epipen which has not been replaced will not be allowed in school until this has been provided.

Disposal/return of medicines

  • Medicines should be returned to the student’s parent:

⇒when the course of treatment is complete

⇒when labels become detached or unreadable

⇒when instructions are changed

⇒when the expiry date has been reached

⇒at the end of a term

  • If it is not possible to return a medicine to the parent it will be taken to a pharmacy for disposal.

No medicine should be disposed of into the sewerage system or into the refuse. Current waste disposal regulations make this practice illegal.

Short term medical needs

  • It is helpful if, where possible, medication can be prescribed in dose frequencies which enable it to be taken outside school hours. Parents should ask the prescribing doctor or dentist about this. Should this not be possible, the student should see the Healthcare Co-ordinator to arrange for supervision for the taking of the medicine or tablets. Medication will only be administered at school when it is detrimental to a student’s health or school attendance not to do so and will NOT be given without parent’s prior written consent.
  • A student who has an appointment to see a doctor/dentist etc. should present her/his appointment card or letter to the school office at break at least 24 hours in advance. A pass will then be issued.
  • If a student feels unwell during the school day s/he should report to the school office. Students suffering from colds or other minor ailments will be encouraged to return to lessons. Where appropriate parents will be contacted to collect their child or to obtain permission for the student to be sent home. The student should complete the absence record file to indicate the time s/he left school.

Non-prescription medicine

  • Students sometimes ask for pain killers at school, including aspirin and paracetamol. School staff should NOT give non-prescribed medication to students. They may not know whether the student has taken a previous dose, or whether the medication may react with other medication being taken. A child under 16 should never be given aspirin unless prescribed by a doctor.
  • If a student suffers regularly from acute pain, such as migraine, parents may authorise and supply appropriate pain killers for their child’s use. The Trust supports the DfE guidelines which recommend that it is good practice to allow students who can be trusted to do so to manage their own medication. Written authorisation and instructions about when the child should take the medications should be supplied and kept with the medication. Only enough medication for one dose should be brought into school NOT whole boxes or bottles of tablets.

Long term medical needs

  • If a student’s medical needs are inadequately supported this can have a significant impact on a student’s academic attainments and/or lead to emotional and behavioural problems. Parents need to inform the school of any of their child’s medical needs or if s/he develops a medical condition. For students who attend hospital appointments on a regular basis, special arrangements may also be necessary. The School Nurse or Health Care Co-ordinator will share with the relevant Achievement Co-ordinator any particular concerns about an individual student and provide advice and guidance.
  • Parents should complete a form (Appendix B) giving details if their child needs to take prescribed medication during the school day. This form can be obtained from the office and should be returned, when completed, to the school office.
  • A record of each occasion when the prescribed medication has been taken during

school time will be kept at the back of the accident file in the school office.

  • Should the student taking medication on a regular basis become unwell in the course of the school day, the following procedures should be followed:

- qualified first aider summoned to stay with the student

- first aid administered if this is appropriate

- parents contacted

- if necessary a 999 call made and the ambulance crew giveninformation about the student’s ongoing medical condition

Sporting activities

  • Most students with medical conditions can participate in extra-curricular sport or in the PE curriculum which is sufficiently flexible for all students to follow in ways appropriate to their own abilities. For many, physical activity can benefit their overall social, mental and physical well-being. Any restrictions on a student’s ability to participate in PE should be noted in writing by a parent and given to one of the PE department staff. After a student has missed a number of PE lessons because of a medical condition, she will need to bring a note indicating that she is fit enough to, once again, participate in the lessons.
  • Teachers supervising sporting activities are aware of relevant medical conditions and emergency procedures.
  • Some students may need to take precautionary measures before or during exercise, and/or need to be allowed immediate access to their medication if necessary. Staff should refer to the guidelines contained in this policy for supporting students with asthma.

Staff training

  • The Business Support Manager is responsible for arranging the staff training which is provided by the school nurse team for the following medical conditions; asthma, anaphylaxis, diabetes and epilepsy. Training is refreshed once a year for all staff and a record kept of staff who attended the training.
  • There are several trained First Aiders at the schools, sharing responsibilities in key areas and the names of these staff are posted around the school. Other members of staff are regularly encouraged to undertake First Aid training to raise the awareness of possible symptoms and reactions. Several of these First Aiders have received additional training in the medical conditions listed above to provide support for a student with an individual healthcare plan. This training will be reviewed once a year by the Healthcare Co-ordinator.
  • Staff will NOT give prescription medicines or undertake healthcare procedures without first having the appropriate training; and are competent to take on the responsibility to support a student with a medical condition (updated to reflect any individual healthcare plans).

School trips and visits

  • Staff supervising trips and visits should always be aware of any medical needs, and the relevant emergency procedures. Arrangements for taking any necessary medication will need to be taken into consideration. Medication required during a school trip should be carried on the student if this is normal practice. Sometimes an additional supervisor or parent might accompany a particular student. If staff are concerned about whether they can provide for a student’s safety, or the safety of other students on a trip, they should seek further medical advice.

Medical needs are taken into account when completing the risk assessment for the trip/visit. The School’s Educational Visits Policy recommends that, where possible, one of the staff accompanying the trip has undertaken First Aid training.

MONITORING

This policy will be monitored annually by the Finance Committee of the Governing Body as part of its responsibility for Health & Safety.

LIABILITY & INDEMNITY

An appropriate level of insurance is provided by Risk Protection Arrangement, to cover staff giving support to students with medical conditions. Staff providing support can access a copy of this policy via the Finance Director.

COMPLAINTS

Should parents or students be dissatisfied with the support provided they should discuss their concerns directly with the school. If for whatever reason this does not resolve the issue, they may make a formal complaint via the Trust’s complaints procedure to the Headteacher. The complaints policy can be found on the school website.

LINKS TO OTHER POLICIES

First Aid Policy

Safeguarding Policy

Educational Visits Policy

Health & Safety Policy

APPENDIX A

GUIDANCE FOR SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH ASTHMA

Asthma is a very common condition in which the air passages in the lungs become narrowed, making it difficult to breathe and children may need to take asthma relieving medicine at school. Training is organised each year for all staff in the management of asthma in school.

A number of students across the school and Sixth Form Centre have been diagnosed as asthmatic. A record of these is included in the Health Awareness Booklet. No student should feel excluded in any way from any activity and, in order to encourage students with asthma to achieve their full potential in all aspects of school life, the following guidelines have been compiled.

Triggers for asthma include:

  • Viral infections (especially common colds)
  • Allergies (common ones are dust, pollen, fur and feathers, less commonly are certain types of food such as milk and eggs)
  • Exercise
  • Cold weather or strong winds (Changes in temperature)
  • Excitement or prolonged laughter/distress
  • Pets (especially fur and feathers)
  • Cigarette smoke
  • Pollen and mould spores
  • House dust/dust mite

Dealing with an attack

●If a student is having an asthma attack, s/he should be prompted to use their reliever inhaler if they are not already using it. It is also good practice to reassure and comfort them whilst, at the same time, encouraging them to breathe slowly and deeply. It is not advisable to put an arm around a student as this may restrict breathing. The student should sit rather than lie down. Tight clothing must be loosened.

●An asthma attack can be distressing for the student and frightening when first observed, however, dealing with it does not require specific medical training. The National Asthma Campaign recommend the following course of action:

  • ensure the reliever medicine (inhaler) is taken
  • stay calm and reassure the student
  • encourage the student to breathe slowly and deeply
  • call an ambulance if-

-the reliever has no effect after 5-10 minutes;

-the student is very distressed or unable to talk;

-the student is exhausted;

-you have serious doubts about the student’s condition.

Guidelines

  • Immediate access to reliever inhalers is vital. All students should carry their reliever inhalers with them at all times, including on school visits. Parents are asked to supply a spare inhaler in case the student’s own inhaler runs out or is lost or forgotten. All inhalers must be labelled with the student’s name. Spare inhalers are kept in the School Office stationery cupboard and can be retrieved by asking at the main office. Inhalers can be stored in this way for up to five years.
  • Names of students who are asthmatic will be recorded on the list of medical concerns given out as part of the Health Awareness Booklet to staff at the start of each academic year. It will also be recorded on the individual student’s file.
  • Taking part in sports is an essential part of school life. P.E. staff are aware of which students have asthma from the Health Awareness Booklet. Students with asthma are encouraged to participate fully in P.E. Students whose asthma is triggered by exercise should take their reliever inhaler before the lesson and complete a warm up at the beginning of the lesson. The student’s own inhaler must be taken with them to the site of the lesson. If a student needs to use the inhaler during the lesson s/he will be encouraged to do so.

●The medication of any individual student with asthma will not necessarily be the same as the medication of another student with the same condition. Although major side effects are extremely uncommon for the most frequently used asthma medications, they do exist and may be made more severe if the student is taking other medication. Students should not take the medication which has been prescribed for another student. If a student took a puff of another student’s inhaler there are unlikely to be serious adverse effects. Appropriate disciplinary action will be taken if inhalers are misused by the owner or other students.