Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs

Procedures for the Administration of Medicines

1 Parent for the Administration of Medicines

• Request for medicines to be administered
• Use of appropriate forms
• Individual Pupil Protocol

2 School arranges meeting involving (as appropriate)

• School doctor/school nurse (school nurse advises Head Teacher if school doctor should be involved)
• GP
• Parents
• Class teacher/auxiliary/classroom assistant
• Any other relevant person

3 Head Teacher oversees completion of IPP school managed system for administration of medicines

4 IPP completed and signed by

• Head Teacher
• School doctor
• Parent

5 Head Teacher is responsible for arranging training for implementing IPP needs in relation to

• Administration of rectal diazepam
• Administration of Epipen
• Other where appropriate

6 Head Teacher annually with school nurse to consider training needs and to arrange a programme

A clear policy understood and accepted by staff, parents and pupils provide a sound basis for ensuring that pupils with medical needs receive proper care and support at school.  Formal systems and procedures, drawn up in partnership with parents and staff, should back up the policy.

The school’s policy on supporting pupils who have medical needs or require medication in school should be communicated in the school prospectus to parents and to school staff.  Parents are responsible for their child’s medication.  The Head Teacher is normally responsible for deciding whether the school can assist a pupil who needs medication.  Such decisions should, as far as practicable, encourage regular attendance and full participation in school life.

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.

Many pupils with long term medical conditions will not require medication during school hours.  When they do, many will be able to administer it themselves.  School policies should encourage this approach..

School staff should not, as a general rule, administer medication without first receiving appropriate information and/or training. Grampian Universities Trust can advise the school on who the main health contact will be, who can then advise on, and in some cases provide, the necessary support.

The Grampian Universities Hospital Trust provides a School Health Service that advises on health issues to pupils, parents, teachers, education officers and the local authority.  The main contact for schools can be obtained through the School Health Department, Spynie Hospital (Tel 01343 558264).  Details of School/Health contacts are included in Appendix F - The School Health Service.  This information is sent out at the beginning of each school session.  A copy should be included in this folder.

Most pupils will at some time have a medical condition that may affect their participation in school activities.   For many this will be short-term.

Other pupils have medical conditions that, if not properly managed, could limit their access to education.  Such pupils are regarded as having medical needs.  Most pupils with medical needs are able to attend school regularly and, with some support from the school, can take part in most normal school activities.  However, school staff may need to take extra care in supervising some activities to make sure that these pupils, and others, are not put at risk.  In some cases, schools will find it helpful to draw up individual procedures to ensure the safety of such pupils.

Many pupils whose medical needs are so significant may well already have a Record of Needs opened on their behalf.  In such cases, it is useful to consider such individual procedure as an adjunct to the Record of Needs.

Not all pupils who have medical needs will require an IPP.  The purpose of such plans is to ensure that school staff have sufficient information to understand and support a pupil with long term medical needs.  They should be drawn up in conjunction with the parents and, where appropriate, the child and the child’s medical carers and should set out in detail the measures needed to support a pupil in school, including preparing for an emergency situation.

The information contained within the plans must be treated in confidence and should be used for no other purpose than for the school to set up a good support system

The safety of staff and pupils must be considered at all times.  Particular attention must be paid to the safe storage, handling, and disposal of medicines.  Training for staff should include guidance in safety procedures.

Some medication must be readily available in an emergency and should be readily available, e.g. “epipen”.  Relevant school staff and the pupil concerned should know where the medication is kept in areas of doubt contact GP or school doctor.