Stoke Primary School | |
Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs Policy | |
![]() | |
Date Reviewed by Governors | Spring 2019 |
Date of Next Review | Spring 2021 |
Appendices | 1(i) Individual Health care plan - Medical Needs 1(ii) Individual Health care plan - Severe Allergy 2 School Procedures on being informed of a medical need 3 Emergency Planning 4(i) Parental Agreement for school to administer medicine 4(ii) Record of medicine issued to a child 4(iii) Request for child to carry his/her medicine |
Modifications | Replaced all ‘Governing Body’ with ‘Governing Board’ Appendix 2 - Replaced ‘IHCP displayed in staffroom’ with ‘A copy of the IHCP can be found in a folder in the staff room’ |
INTRODUCTION
Most children will have at some time a medical condition that may affect their participation in school activities. For many this will be short-term; perhaps finishing a course of medication.
Other children have medical conditions that, if not properly managed, could limit their access to education. Such children are regarded as having medical needs. Most children with medical needs are able to attend school regularly and with some support from school, can take part in most normal school activities. However, staff may need to take extra care in supervising some activities to make sure that these children, and others, are not put at risk.
There will be some children whose access to the curriculum is impaired not so much by the need to take medication but that their condition brings with it a level of dependency on adult support to meet their personal needs. This policy seeks to include these children and their needs.
Parents or guardians have prime responsibility for their child’s health and should provide school with the information about their child’s medical condition. We encourage parents/carers to provide school with sufficient information about their child’s medical condition and any treatment or special care needed at school, on admission, and keep us informed of any new or changing needs. If there are any special religious and /or cultural beliefs which may affect medical care that the child needs, particularly in the event of an emergency, we rely on parents/carers to inform us and confirm this in writing. Such information will be kept on the child’s personal record. This policy provides information on our procedures for the storage and administration of medicines to children and the procedures for children who are able to self- administer.
* There is no legal duty which requires school staff to administer medication; this is a voluntary role however school should take all reasonable steps to ensure a child can attend school without interruption to their education. Staff who provide support for children with medical needs, or who volunteer to administer medication, should receive support from the head and parent, access to information and training, and reassurance about their legal liability. Staff should, whenever they feel it necessary, consult with their respective professional associations.
Good Practice
Children and young people with medical conditions are entitled to a full education and have the same rights of admission to school as other children. Pupils with a medical condition will not be denied admission or be prevented from taking up a place in school because arrangements for their medical condition have not been made.
POLICY
Students at Stoke Primary School with medical conditions should be properly supported so that they can play an active part in school, remaining healthy and able to achieve their academic potential, with full access to education, including school trips and physical education.
Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on governing bodies of maintained schools, to make arrangements for supporting pupils at their school with medical conditions.
Definition of the term Medical Condition used in this context:
A medical condition that is long term with acute episodes, requires ongoing support, and involves the need for medication and/or care whilst at school. The condition will need monitoring and could require immediate intervention in emergency circumstances. Some children with medical conditions may be disabled. Where this is the case the Governing Board must comply with their duties under the Equality Act 2010. Some may also have special educational needs (SEN) and may have a statement, or Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) which brings together health and social care needs, as well as their special educational provision. For children with SEND, this guidance should be read in conjunction with the SEND code of practice and the Local Offer and the school’s SEND information which is available on the school website.
Statement of Intent
All children attending the school with a medical condition (meeting the above definition) must have an Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP) (appendix 1(i) Medical Needs or 1(ii) Severe Allergy) which should be devised in conjunction with school, parents and where relevant, healthcare professionals.
RESPONSIBILITIES
It is important that responsibilities for children’s safety is clearly defined and that each person involved with children’s medical needs is aware of what is expected of them. Close co-operation between school, parents, health professionals and other agencies will help provide a suitably supportive environment for children with medical needs.
Local Authority
The LA is responsible under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, for making sure that a school has a Health and Safety Policy. This should include procedures for supporting children with medical needs, and managing medication. In the event of legal action over an allegation of negligence, the employer rather than the employee is likely to be held responsible. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that correct procedures are followed.
Where children would not receive a suitable education in a mainstream school because of their health needs, the Local Authority has a duty to make other arrangements. Please refer to the Local Offer for more details. Statutory guidance for local authorities sets out that they should be ready to make arrangements under this duty when it is clear that a child will be away from school for 15 days or more because of health needs.
Governors
The Governing Board must ensure that arrangements are in place in school to support children with medical conditions. In doing so, they should ensure that such children can access and enjoy the same opportunities at school as any other child.
The school, Local Authority, health professionals and other support services should work together to ensure that children with medical conditions receive a full education.
The Governing Board should ensure that the school’s leaders liaise with health and social care professionals, children and parents to ensure that the needs of children with medical conditions are effectively supported. The needs of each individual child must be considered and how their medical condition impacts on their school life.
The Governing Board should ensure that the arrangements they put in place are sufficient to meet their statutory responsibilities and should ensure that policies, plans, procedures and systems are properly and effectively implemented. This aligns with their wider safeguarding duties. Policies should be reviewed regularly and be readily accessible to parents and school staff.
The Governing Board will ensure that:
Headteacher
The Headteacher:
Parents & Guardians
Parents, as defined in the Education Act 1944, are a child’s main carers. They are responsible for making sure that their child is well enough to attend school.
Parents should:
School
The school will:
School Staff
Emergency Procedures (see Appendix 3)
In the event that an ambulance needs to be called any member of staff should:
Generally staff should not take pupils to hospital in their own car. If it is required then the member of staff should be accompanied by another adult and have public liability vehicle insurance.
Individual Healthcare Plans (see Appendix 1)
The school, healthcare professionals and parents/carers should agree, based on evidence, when an Individual Healthcare Plan would be inappropriate or disproportionate. Where there is a discrepancy an appropriate healthcare professional should be asked to arbitrate.
Individual Healthcare Plans must:
Complaints
Parents/carers’ concerns about the support provided for their child with a medical condition should be directed, in the first instance, to the Headteacher, Mr Mathew Ascroft. Where parents/carers feel their concerns have not been addressed, they should contact Mr S. Quarterman, Chair of Governors to make a formal complaint via the school’s complaint procedure.
Supporting documents:
Equality Act 2010
SEND Code of Practice
SEN Local Offer
Supporting Children at school with Medical Conditions-DfE April 2014
Children and Families Act 2014 Section 100 Duty on Governors (in force from September 2014)
Guidance on the use of emergency salbutamol inhalers in school DfE September 2014
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Appendix 1(i)
Healthcare Plan for a Pupil with Medical Needs |
Surname: | Forename: | Sex: M / F |
|
Address:
Name of School: Class:Date completed:Date 1st Review:Date 2nd Review:
Emergency Contact 2 | |
Name______________________________ | Name____________________________ |
Relationship_________________________ | Relationship_______________________ |
Tel No (home) _______________________ | Tel No (home) ____________________ |
Tel No (mobile) ______________________ | Tel No (mobile)___________________ |
Tel No (work) ________________________ | Tel No (work) ____________________ |
GP Name & Tel Number
CONDITION:
Describe pupil's individual symptoms:
Name: | DOB: | NHS No.: |
Describe what constitutes an emergency for the pupil, the action to take and follow up care:
Describe pupil's requirements, e.g. before sport / lunchtimes:
Agreement and Conclusion:
Both school and parents should hold a copy or this Healthcare Plan. Please send a copy to the School Nurse to be put in the Child Health records. Any necessary revisions will be between the school and parents.
Agreed and Signed:
Parent____________________________________ Date_________________
Head Teacher______________________________ Date_________________
School Nurse_______________________________ Date__________________
1st Review:
Parent____________________________________ Date_________________
Head Teacher______________________________ Date_________________
___________________________________________________________________
2nd Review:
Parent___________________________________ Date_________________
Head Teacher____________________________ Date________________
Appendix 1(ii)
Healthcare Plan for a Pupil with a Severe Allergy |
Surname: | Forename: | Sex: M / F |
|
Address:
Name of School: Class: Date completed:Date 1st Review:Date 2nd Review:
Emergency Contact 2 | |
Name______________________________ | Name____________________________ |
Relationship_________________________ | Relationship_______________________ |
Tel No (home) _______________________ | Tel No (home) ____________________ |
Tel No (mobile) ______________________ | Tel No (mobile)___________________ |
Tel No (work) ________________________ | Tel No (work) ____________________ |
GP Name & Tel Number
ALLERGIC TO:
MEDICATION:
Name: | DOB: | NHS No: |
Severe Reaction (rare)
Treatment:
(Dial 999). Tell the operator this is an emergency case of anaphylaxis.
2. If there is collapse or severe difficulty breathing give the adrenaline pen injection (also called epinephrine)
3. If the adrenaline pen is used the child/young person must always go to hospital.
Any additional instruction’s e.g. asthma care:
Please note that it is the parent/carers responsibility to ensure that the adrenaline pen is not out of date
Name: | DOB: | NHS No: |
Mild or Moderate Reactions (very common)
Possible symptoms: (Please delete or add as appropriate as symptoms may vary).
Itching skin, rash, tickly throat, mild swelling (such as face or lips)
Medication:
Antihistamines…………………………….syrup/tablets (delete as appropriate)
Syrup give……………5ml spoonful immediately OR
Tablets give ….………. mg tablet immediately
Any additional instructions e.g. asthma medication
Agreement and Conclusion:
Both school and parents should hold a copy or this Healthcare Plan. Please send a copy to the School Nurse to be put in the Child Health records. Any necessary revisions will be between the school and parents.
Agreed and Signed:
Parent____________________________________ Date_________________
Head Teacher______________________________ Date_________________
School Nurse_______________________________ Date__________________
___________________________________________________________________
1st Review:
Parent____________________________________ Date_________________
Head Teacher______________________________ Date_________________
___________________________________________________________________
2nd Review:
Parent___________________________________ Date_________________
Head Teacher____________________________ Date__________________
Appendix 2
School Procedures on being informed of a medical need:
Appendix 3
EMERGENCY PLANNING
Request for an Ambulance:
Dial 999, ask for ambulance and be ready with the following information.
Speak clearly and slowly and be ready to repeat information if asked.
Appendix 4(i)
Stoke Primary School
Parental Agreement for school to administer medicine
The school/setting will not give your child medicine unless you complete and sign this form, and the school or setting has a policy that staff can administer medicine
Name of School/Setting | ___________________________________________ |
Name of Child: | ___________________________________________ |
Date of Birth: | ___________________________________________ |
Group/Class/Form: | ___________________________________________ |
Medical condition/illness: | ___________________________________________
|
Medicine: **Note Medicines must be the original container as dispensed by the pharmacy | |
Name/Type of Medicine (as described on the container): | ___________________________________________ |
Date dispensed: | ___________________________________________ |
Expiry date:
| ___________________________________________ |
Agreed review date to be initiated by [name of member of staff]: | ___________________________________________ |
Dosage and method: | ___________________________________________ |
Timing: | ___________________________________________ |
Special Precautions: | ___________________________________________ |
Are there any side effects that the school/setting needs to know about? | ___________________________________________ |
Self Administration: Yes/No (delete as appropriate) | ___________________________________________ |
Procedures to take in an Emergency: | ___________________________________________ |
Contact Details
|
|
Name: | ___________________________________________ |
Daytime Telephone No: | ___________________________________________ |
Relationship to child:
| ___________________________________________ |
Address: | ___________________________________________ ___________________________________________ |
The above information is, to the best of my knowledge, accurate at the time of writing and I give consent to school/setting staff administering medicine in accordance with the school/setting policy.
I will inform the school/setting immediately, in writing, if there is any change in dosage or frequency of the medication or if the medicine is stopped.
Date: | ____________________________________________ |
Parent(s) Signature(s) | ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ |
Relationship(s) to child: | ____________________________________________ |
Appendix 4(ii)
Stoke Primary School
Record of medicine administered to an individual child
Personal Details | |
Name of child:
| Class: |
Medication Details | |
Date medicine provided by parent:
| Expiry Date: |
Name and strength of medicine:
| Dose & Frequency of Medicine:
|
Quantity of medicine received: (If pack/bottle unopened)
| Quantity of medicine returned:
|
Consent | |
Staff Signature: _____________________________
| Parent Signature: ____________________________ |
Medication Log |
Date |
|
|
|
Time Given |
|
|
|
Dose Given |
|
|
|
Name of member of staff |
|
|
|
Staff initials |
|
|
|
Date |
|
|
|
Time Given |
|
|
|
Dose Given |
|
|
|
Name of member of staff |
|
|
|
Staff initials |
|
|
|
Date |
|
|
|
Time Given |
|
|
|
Dose Given |
|
|
|
Name of member of staff |
|
|
|
Staff initials |
|
|
|
Date |
|
|
|
Time Given |
|
|
|
Dose Given |
|
|
|
Name of member of staff |
|
|
|
Staff initials |
|
|
|
Appendix 4(iii)
Stoke Primary School
Request for child to carry his/her medicine
THIS FORM MUST BE COMPLETED BY PARENT/GUARDIAN
If staff have any concerns discuss this request with school healthcare professionals.
Name of child:
| Class: |
Address:
| |
Name and strength of medicine:
| |
Procedures to be taken in an emergency:
| |
Contact Information | |
Name:
| Contact Telephone No: |
Relationship to child:
|
|
I would like my son/daughter to keep his/her medicine on him/her for use as necessary.
Signed: ________________________________ Date:_____________________
**If more than one medicine is to be given, a separate form should be completed for each one**
All website content copyright © Stoke Primary School: Website Policy Website design for primary schools, by PrimarySite.net