Lindens School Policy on Medicines in School

 

It should be noted that there is no legal duty that requires school staff to administer medicines. However, in exceptional circumstances we would be willing to undertake this task under the following conditions:-

 

Every case is looked at individually and a decision between the Headteacher, key staff and professionals will take place to determine if it is appropriate or not for staff to administer the medication.

 

1. Consultation with parents/guardians will need to take place prior to administration.
2. Children must not keep their own medicines in school.
3. It is the responsibility of parents to notify the school in writing if the pupil’s need for medication has ceased.
4. There must be clear dialogue between parents/guardians/Health Professionals before any medication is administered to children who have long term or complex medical needs. This will require:

1. Health professionals to give relevant training will be given before any member of staff will administer medicines.
2.  There must be certification of competence written by the Health professional, for all appropriate staff. 
3. Before any medicines will be administered a healthcare plan must be written by the Health professional.

 

If a child refuses to take their medication staff will not force them to do so and will inform the parents of the refusal as a matter of urgency, on the same day.  If a refusal to take medicines results in an emergency, the school’s emergency procedures will be followed.

 

Parental Responsibilities

 

Parents should keep children at home when they are acutely unwell or infectious.

Parents must speak to the Headteacher or Inclusion Manager where a decision will be made, but no medicines under any circumstances will be administered without a parental consent form completed. Under no circumstances are medicines to be administered by a child

If there is any changes to dosage of medication a new consent form must be signed.

 

Staff Responsibilities

 

All medicines will be kept in the Resource area in a locked cupboard or fridge and administered by a member of the named administration staff.  This list will be on display and stored in the administrating medicines folder in the Resource office.  It is the staff’s responsibility to acquire the code to enter the office.

 

Joint Responsibility

 

Staff should give 5 days written notice to parents when supplies of the medication are running low.  Parents are then responsible to renew the medication and bring it into school clearly named and labelled ensuring that the medication supplied is within its expiry date.

 

Prescription Medicines

 

Parents or an identified adult are to administer medicine, unless it has been agreed through consultation with key staff that school will administer.

 

For medicines to be administered in school, they must be properly labelled with the name of the child and a parental consent form must be completed.

 

Medicines are not accepted out of the container in which they were originally dispensed and must include the prescriber’s instructions.

 

When a child is given medicines he/she will first be asked his/her name and this name will be checked against the name of the medicine  -  even if the member of staff knows the child well.  The appropriate form, signed by the parent, must be checked for the time the medicine is required and the dosage.  The record sheet must be checked to ensure that another member of staff has not already administered the dose. There must always be two persons present when administering medicines. One person to administer and one to witness.  Both members of staff must sign the relevant paperwork.

 

Record Keeping

 

The date, name and class of child, the time and dose of medicine and the time of administration of medicine, will be recorded in the administrating medicines folder together with the initials of the administrator and witness.

 

Disposal of Medicines

 

Medicines will be returned to the parents/guardians who must sign the form accepting them back.  It is the responsibility of parents to ensure that date expired medicines are returned to a pharmacy for safe disposal.  All medicines will be returned to the parent at the end of each term and it will be the responsibility of the parents to return the medicine when the pupil returns back to school.

 

For pupils who attend school via Local Authority transport medication will be sent home via the driver/escort.  A confirmation of receipt form must be signed and sent back into school the next day.

 

Residential school trips

 

In this instance every case will be looked at individually and a decision between key staff and professionals will be discussed.

 

Emergency Procedures

 

An ambulance will be called in all emergency procedures. In the parents absence, a member of staff can accompany a child to hospital and stay with the child until the parent arrives. Health professionals not Lindens staff are responsible for any decisions on medical treatment when parents are not available.  A child must not be taken to hospital in a staff car.