Every school should have a policy on school supervised medication. It should be recognised however that there is not a requirement for school staff to administer medicines if they do not wish. Where school staff will not administer medicines, the school policy will clearly state so. In these cases parents will have to make their own arrangements for any medicine to be administered to their child.
In those schools where staff are prepared to administer medicines on behalf of the parent to the child there will be clear procedures. These procedures may vary from school to school but generally they will be similar to the following:
- Parents will be requested to give written permission to the school to administer the medicine specifying the medication involved, circumstances under which it should be administered, frequency and levels of dosage.
- Parents/guardians should hand over medicines to the appropriate member of staff so that they may be stored safely.
- The medicine should be clearly labelled with the child's name and dosage instructions.
- The administration of drugs will be routinely entered into the Drug Record Book.
- A member of the school staff will give the medicine to the child at the appropriate time.
In the case of inhalers these can be stored safely and given to the child as and when necessary.
For further information please email:john.irving@northlincs.gov.uk or telephone: 01724 297200.