Health Plans Are Documents Which Provide the School with Directions Or Guidelines to Support

Health Plans

Health plans are documents which provide the school with directions or guidelines to support students with specialised health needs.

A specialised health needis where a student requires routine/daily health procedures, has a medical status which may require an emergency response to a life-threatening crisisor requires infrequent emergency needs/procedures. The health conditions associated with a specialised health need may include Asthma, Diabetes, Anaphylaxis, Epilepsy, Cystic Fibrosis, Dysphagia (swallowing difficulties), Bladder Management, Hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain), or other health needs that require specific management.

In accordance with the Management of Students with Specialised Health Needsprocedure, schools are responsible for supporting the implementation of health plans. There are three types of health plans used in schools, dependent on the student’s health conditions and needs:

•Individual Health Plan (IHP)

•Emergency Health Plan (EHP)

•Action Plan.

An IHP provides a daily guideline for the routine management of a student's health condition and may contain some instructions concerning the routine medication regime. This may include the integration of treatment for several health conditions.

An EHP provides concise step-by-step directions of how to safely manage a predictable medical emergency specific to certain chronic health conditions and the correct use of intervention or emergency medication.

An Action Plan is a standardised template for routine or emergency treatment, developed by a peak medical body and completed and signed by the student’s medical practitioner. Action Plans are available for Anaphylaxis and Asthma.

Unlike an Action Plan, an IHP and EHP are completed by the principal or delegated officer workingin collaboration with a qualified health practitioner (e.g. Education Queensland Registered Nurse [EQRN], diabetes educator), school staff, the parent and student (where applicable) using a template provided by the EQRN.

The Procedure to develop Individual Health Plan /Emergency Health plan (IHP/EHP) to Support Students with Specialised Health Needsflowchart provides further information.

For further advice to assist in the implementation of health plans, refer to the Administration of Medications in Schools procedure.