Medical Policy
Your child’s health and safety is of prime concern to us and it is essential that parents and teachers work together for the good of the child in this regard.
Medical Information
It is important that the school is aware of any medical condition that may affect your child during the school day. This may include information on allergies, eyesight etc. Please fill in the relevant space in the Medical Information Form and Permission Slip. If there is no such condition, please write ‘NONE’.
In the case of a child becoming ill at school, parents/ guardians will be contacted. You will be notified if your child has any fall involving a bang on the head. Please make sure you have filled out and sent an Emergency Contact Information Form to the school.
Infection in School
Infections in school children are common. However, not all infectious diseases are contagious. In the case of contagious diseases (chicken pox, infective hepatitis, measles, mumps, rubella (German measles), scarlet fever, glandular fever, whooping cough, impetigo (school sores), ringworm (tinea), head-lice, scabies), all parents/ guardians will be informed by letter. If you discover that your child has an infectious disease please inform the school immediately, especially in the case of an illness which may affect other children. Please keep your child away from school until she is clear of infection and check with your GP when your child is fit to return to school. Head-louse infection is a regular problem in the classroom. Please your treat your child appropriately.
First Aid
From time to time minor incidents such as cuts and abrasions etc. will occur. The staff at the school will deal with these by washing the cut with water and if necessary applying a plaster. Parents are expected to check under the plaster when the child returns home from school.
Please complete the Permission Slip for basic First Aid to be administered to your child. If for any reason you do not want us to treat cuts etc, please state this clearly on the form. You will then be contacted at home or work if your child needs attention.
Administration of Medicines
You are required to complete the form detailing any medical information that may affect your child while at school. The Board of Management requires that parents inform their child’s teacher in writing of any medical condition their child may have. It is the parent’s/ guardian’s responsibility to notify subsequent teachers. While the Board of Management has a duty to safeguard the health and safety of pupils when they are engaged in authorised school activities this does not imply a duty upon teachers to personally undertake the administration of medicines.
Under normal circumstances* no oral medicine or tablets will be administered by the staff. This includes medicines which have been prescribed by your own doctor for your child. If your child is ill enough to require medicine while in school, please keep her at home until the treatment is completed.
Children are not permitted to keep medication in their own possession. Parents/ guardians may think it appropriate on certain occasions for older children to bring medicines into school (e.g. Paracetamol). The class teacher must be informed in writing if your child is carrying medicine of any sort (including cough sweets, cold-sore creams and other pharmaceuticals). The note should identify the medicine and give the child permission to self-administer it. However the teacher will store the medicine for the duration of the school day. It is the responsibility of the child to remind the teacher when he/ she needs the medication. The child should only carry the quantity needed for the school day. Where children carry inhalers, they should be competent to self-administer.
*Procedure for parents of children with long term illness requiring administration of medicine within school hours e.g. diabetes, severe allergies.
In the event of a child requiring taking medicines while in the care of the school, the following procedures will apply;
Parents write to the Board of Management requesting permission for the administration of medicine during the school day, and outlining the procedure involved. Where children are suffering from life threatening conditions, parents should outline clearly, in writing, what can and can not be done in a particular emergency situation, with particular reference to what may be a risk to the child.
Written details should include the name of the child, name and exact dosage of medication, whether the child should be responsible for her medication, the circumstances in which medication is to be given by the teacher and consent for it to be given, name of doctor to be contacted in emergency, when the parent/ guardian is to be notified and where he/ she can be contacted, parent/ guardians signature.
Two members of staff are needed in order to administer medicine. Staff are not obliged to undertake these responsibilities and teachers should not administer prescribed medication without specific authorisation of the Board. Should staff agree to administer same, the parents/ guardians are required to indemnify the Board of Management and authorised members of staff in respect of any liability that may arise regarding the administration of prescribed medicines in the school. The Board will inform the school’s insurers accordingly. In as far as possible children should self-administer. A written record of the date and time of administration must be kept.
Where permission has been given by the Board of Management for the administration of medicine, the smallest possible dose should be brought to school, preferably by the parent, with clear written instructions for administration, giving the name of the pupil.
Parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring that adequate supplies of up-to-date medicines are available. The medicines will be kept out of reach of pupils in the school.
Changes in prescribed medication (or dosage) should be notified immediately to the school with clear written instructions of the procedure to be followed in storing and administering the new medication.
Request for administration of medication should be renewed at the beginning of each school year.
Emergency Procedure
Where a child has a fall/ cut which is considered serious, an ambulance will be called.
Where a child has a fall/ cut which requires medical attention, and where it is safe to move the child, the parents/ guardians will be contacted. Failing that, the child will be taken to the hospital as soon as possible by the Principal. Staff in the school will continue to try and make contact with the parents/ guardians.
Reporting Accidents in the School
Minor cuts and abrasions will be treated as outlined under ‘First Aid’. It is expected that parents check plasters that the child may be wearing on return home from school. General incidents will be reported to the class teacher. Incidents of a more serious nature will be recorded in the incident book. An accident report form will be filed where medical intervention is required. Where a child receives a blow to the head, parents will be notified. Staff should keep a record of how/ when this notification is carried out.
Policies to be read in conjunction with this Medical Policy.
Asthma Policy
Anaphylaxis Policy
Diabetes Policy
Epilepsy Policy
Cardiac Policy (Child specific)