Colsterworth.lincs.sch.uk

Colsterworth Church of England Primary School
POLICY for FIRST AID
ADMINISTRATION of MEDICINES – 2013/14

FIRST AID
Principles
First Aid can save lives and prevent minor injuries becoming major ones. The
Governing Body accepts the responsibility to provide adequate and appropriate
equipment and facilities for providing first aid in school.
The Governing Body is responsible for the health and safety of its employees and
anyone else on the school premises. This includes:
 Number of first aiders/appointed persons  Number and locations of first aid containers  Arrangements for off site activities and visits  Out of school hours arrangements, for example, lettings, parents’ evenings
The Governing Body should ensure that insurance arrangements provide full
cover for claims arising from actions of staff acting within the scope of their
employment.

In practice, most of the day to day functions are delegated to the Head, who is
responsible for ensuring that the policy is put into practice, and that parents are
aware of the School’s health and safety policy, including arrangements for first aid.

Responsibilities of school staff
Staff are expected to use their best judgement at all times to secure the welfare of
students at the school in the same way that parents might be expected to act
towards their children.
The Head must arrange for adequate and appropriate training and guidance for staff
who volunteer to be first aiders and ensure that there are enough trained staff.
In addition, the Head will consider:
 the individual’s reliability and communication skills  aptitude and ability to absorb new skills and knowledge  ability to cope with stressful and physically demanding emergency procedures  ability to leave normal duties to attend an emergency. Duties of First Aiders
Staff First Aiders complete a training course approved by the HSE. They give
immediate help to casualties with injuries or illnesses and those arising from specific
hazards at school. When necessary, they ensure that an ambulance or other
professional medical help is called.
Staff who undertake advanced first aid training do so on a voluntary basis. Where
possible all staff are provided with basic first aid training. The school has one full
and two part-time members of staff who have paediatric training for First Aid. The
school keeps a training record and organises courses and retraining as appropriate.
When identifying potential first aiders, consideration is given to the more vulnerable
areas of the school and to staff most likely to accompany residential visits.
Assessment of Need
The School is required to provide first aid for employees and, in the light of legal
responsibilities, considers the likely risks to students and visitors and makes
allowances for them when training first aiders. This is reviewed annually. The
following factors are taken into consideration in the provision of first aid:
 The size and spatial arrangement of the school  Any specific site hazards, for example in science /DT lessons  Any specific need arising from the staff or students  Provision at lunchtimes, or in the case of absence, or for out of hours Providing Information
All staff, pupils and visitors to the school are informed as appropriate of the first aid
arrangements. Notices are clear and easily understood and displayed in prominent
places. Induction programmes include first aid information and it is also included in
the staff handbooks.
All staff, students and visitors should know how to contact a first aider from any area
of the school. The school has a RED card alert system which can be used quickly
and easily.
First Aid Equipment and Facilities
The library area houses the first aid equipment according to HSE recommended
provision. For off site visits, a travelling first aid kit is available. Basic first aid kits are
strategically positioned around the school and restocked regularly by the responsible
person (Miss Lesley King).
Hygiene and Infection Control
All staff are required to take precautions to avoid infection and must follow basic
hygiene procedures. First Aiders have access to single use disposable gloves and
hand washing facilities. The usual precautions are taken when dealing with blood
and other body fluids, or disposing of dressings or equipment. Anti-bacterial
handwash is available in all cloakrooms and non-alcohol based hand-gel is available
in all classrooms. The HPA guidance on infection control is displayed in the school
office and in the staffroom. The advice from the HPA is followed consistently.
Reporting Accidents and Record Keeping
The School admin staff keeps appropriate records and reports relevant incidents to
the HSE under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences
Regulations 1995. Relevant records are kept for a minimum of three years. In
addition, Accident Report Records are kept by the School administrator (for staff), first aiders (for all cases they have treated) in the school office (for minor incidents). The school keeps a record of treatment given by first aiders including:  The date, time and place of incident  The name of the injured or ill person  Details of the injury or illness and the first aid given  What happened to the person immediately afterwards? - for example, went  Name and signature of the first aider dealing with the incident In the case of any serious or significant incident, the parents are contacted by
telephone, or by letter if less urgent.
ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICINES
General Principles
The Governing Body recognises that many students will, at some time, need to take
medication at school. While parents retain responsibility for their child's medication,
the school has a duty of care to the students while at school, and the Governing
Body wishes to do all that is reasonably practicable to safeguard and promote
children's welfare.
Responsibilities
The Governing Body takes responsibility for the administration of medicines during
school time in accordance with the government's policies and guidelines. The Head
will implement this policy and report, as required, to the Governing Body.
Medication will normally be administered by Miss Rogers (school admin), or in her
absence, by designated staff. All staff are expected to maintain professional
standards of care, but have no contractual or legal duty to administer medication.
The Governing Body does not require staff to administer medication. See DfES Circular
14/96 Supporting Students with Medical Needs. However, some specified staff, for
example, the School admin staff, or staff taking educational visits who volunteer their
services, will be given training to administer first aid and/or medication to students.
Staff Indemnity
The Governing Body fully indemnifies all staff against claims for any alleged
negligence, providing they are acting within their conditions of service and following
Governing Body guidelines. The indemnity covers situations where an incorrect dose
is administered or where any other mistake in the procedure is made. The Governing
Body will meet any claims in these circumstances.


Procedures
Admission Records
On admission to the school, all parents will be required to provide information about
pupils giving full details of:
At the beginning of each academic year, all parents will be required to up-date the
medical form.
Administration of the Medication
The school expects that normally parents will administer medication to their children.
Any requests for medicine to be administered must come from a parent in writing on
the school's Request to Administer Medication Form or in writing. Each request will
be considered on an individual basis. The Form or written advice should include:
 name of doctor who prescribed it, and contact details  how much to give, how it should be kept and stored how it is to be administered and when it is to be given and any other instructions. (complete this section if the information is not on the medication label) The Form will end with the following consent statement:
'The above information is accurate to the best of my knowledge at the time of writing,
and I give consent to the school to administer the medication in accordance with the
school policy. I will inform the school in writing of any changes to the above
information'.

It must be signed and dated by a parent or someone with parental responsibility. A
separate form must be completed for each medicine to be administered. Parents will
be expected to notify any requests for the administration of medicines at the earliest
opportunity. If there are difficulties or concerns, parents/carers will be invited to
discuss with the Head and first aiders what can be done before the Head makes a
decision.
The Head, or person authorised by her, will decide whether any medication will be
administered in school, and by whom (usually the School admin staff).
In most cases, where possible, the parents /carers will be asked if they can
make arrangements to administer medicines to their child themselves.
In consultation, the Head and parents, and anyone else the Head deems necessary,
will draw up a healthcare plan.
The medication must be in a container as prescribed by the doctor and dispensed by
a chemist with the student’s name and instructions for administration printed clearly
on the label. The school will not deal with any requests to renew the supply of the
medication. This is entirely a matter for the parents.

If the student is required and able to administer her own medicine, for example, an
inhaler for asthma, where appropriate the first aider will check that the student fully
understands what has to be done.
Medication will be kept under the control of the School admin staff or the first aid
trained staff unless other arrangements are agreed with the parent. The School
admin staff and trained staff are able to administer non-prescription medicines in
school, for example, cough sweets and painkillers, at an age-appropriate dose.
Parents are asked to sign the Medical Form to give permission for this to take place.
Asthma
Asthma Education:
The school has a responsibility to advise all its staff on practical asthma
management.
Parents:
The school asks all parents whether their child has asthma. A register is kept of all
asthmatic children and this includes details of the treatment that each child uses and
in particular of any inhalers which need to be used at school.
Access to Inhalers:
Reliever inhalers (usually blue) are of particular importance. It is essential that the
child has access to this inhaler at all times. A delay in taking this treatment can lead
to a severe attack, and in rare cases could be fatal. Relievers commonly used are:
Salbutamol,Ventolin, Salamol, Aerolin, Bricanyl, Terbutaline. The teacher should
encourage the child to have easy access to their reliever inhaler on school trips, on
the sports field and at break and lunch-times.
Nebulisers:
Children with severe asthma may use an electric compressor called a nebuliser to
deliver their asthma drugs. The school nurse or the child's GP should liaise with the
school to give correct management advice for these children.
Sports:
Teachers and school sports providers should be aware that a number of pupils with
asthma take a dose of their reliever inhaler before exercise, and may need to use
their inhaler again on the sports field or in the swimming pool. If a child seems over-
reliant on their inhaler then this concern should be communicated to the child's
parents as this may mean that the child's asthma is poorly controlled.
Trigger Factors:
Many things can trigger an asthma attack. This may be because of allergy to,
e.g. pollen or animal hair but just as important are irritants such as cigarette smoke
or chemical fumes. Every attempt should be made to ensure that asthmatics are not
exposed to cigarette smoke. The school operates a strict ‘No smoking policy’.
Care may also be taken if pets are kept in the classroom.

Food Allergies

When school is informed that a pupil or member of staff has a serious food allergy
the information will be passed to all appropriate staff. The information will also be
displayed on a list in the Staff room. Teachers in charge of pupils attending away
matches or on school trips must ensure that they are aware if any pupil in the party
has a serious allergy.
Where an allergy has been discovered prior to the admission to school, the
application form will provide the information. In the event of a parent communicating
such information at a later date to any member of staff, the Headteacher or school
admin staff must be informed immediately so that the information can be
disseminated. The school’s food provider (Farm Kitchen) will draw attention on the
menu board to any dishes or food products that contain high risk allergies, e.g.
peanuts, other nuts, shellfish or other specific allergens.
In the event of an allergic reaction to foodstuffs resulting in admission to hospital, or
death, the school has a duty to inform the Health and Safety Executive.

Long-term Medical Needs
The Governing Body and Head will do all they reasonably can to assist students with
long-term needs. Each case will be determined after discussion with the parents, and
in most cases the family doctor. The Head also reserves the right to discuss the
matter with the LA's medical adviser.
Records of administered medicines
The School admin staff and other trained staff will complete an entry in their daily log
in every instance. It will be kept in the school office. The record will contain:
The School admin staff will ensure that the medical record logs are filled in and
checked regularly.
Training
The Governing Body is committed to providing appropriate training for staff who
volunteer to participate in the administration of medicines.
Monitoring and Review
The Head will be responsible for monitoring the implementation of the policy and
reporting annually to the Health and Safety committee.
Last reviewed: April 2013
Next review: April 2014

Source: http://www.colsterworth.lincs.sch.uk/_includes/attachments/P38/First%20aid%20&%20medicines%20policy%202013%20final.pdf