Co-op Academy Manchester is committed to giving all its students opportunities to access the curriculum. Every effort will be made to ensure that students with medical needs experience the best possible care whilst at the academy. This policy provides a sound basis for ensuring that children with medical needs receive proper care and support at the academy. In addition, the academy has adopted the guidance published by the DfE/Department of Health entitled “Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs: a good practice guide”. This publication may be accessed through www.education.gov.uk.

All medical information received by the academy will be treated confidentially. Information to ensure the safety and care of individual students will be disclosed as appropriate to staff of the academy. Such procedures will be discussed with the student and parent for their agreement prior to the disclosure.

The purpose of this policy is to put into place effective management systems and arrangements to support children and young people with medical needs in the academy and to provide clear guidance for staff and parents/carers on the administration of prescribed medicines. This document, where appropriate, must be considered in conjunction with all other relevant policies, for example, health and safety.

Students with long-term medical needs

Students with medical needs entering Co-op Academy Manchester from local primary schools will usually be identified through discussions with the Year 6 teacher. Such information will be checked with the parent to ensure appropriate records are kept and appropriate provision can be made.

Parents/carers are requested to approach the academy with any information that they feel the academy will need to care for individual students. This should be in the form of a letter, addressed to the Principal with all details or, through a meeting arranged through the academy.

Parents/carers are responsible for informing the academy of medical issues that arise during the student’s time in the academy.

Defibrillator

There is currently a fully charged defibrillator in Reception and in the Medical Room.

There is currently a fully charged defibrillator in the sports hall foyer and in the Medical Room. The location should be notified to the ambulance service when they arrive. Academy First Aiders should be trained on its use and also CPR.

Medicines in the academy

Heads of Year, Miss Hampson and Miss Hamilton should be informed of any prescription medication brought into the academy at any time and must follow the administration of prescribed medicines procedure.

Information regarding any prescribed medication should be made available to the student’s Heads of Year.

In the event of any special form of administration of prescribed medication being required, the parent/carer must contact the academy so that arrangements can be made for this to occur.

Roles and Responsibilities

All staff in academies / schools have a duty to maintain professional standards of care and to ensure that children and young people are safe. It is expected good practice the academy will review cases individually and administer prescribed medication included in a health care plan or written request form to administer medication, which has been agreed by the Principal in order to meet the all-round needs of the child. However, there is no legal duty requiring staff to administer medication or to supervise a child when taking medicines. This is a voluntary role.

Under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995, Academies, schools and settings should be making reasonable adjustments for disabled children, including those with medical needs, and are under a duty to plan strategically to increase access over time. Schools and settings should consider what reasonable adjustments they need to make to enable children with medical needs to participate fully in all areas of school life, including educational visits and sporting activities.

The Principal, in consultation with the Governing Body, staff, parents/carers, health professionals and the local authority, is responsible for deciding whether the academy can assist a child with medical needs. The Principal is responsible for;

implementing the policy on a daily basis
ensuring that the procedures are understood and implemented
ensuring appropriate training is provided
making sure there is effective communication with parents/carers, children and young people, Academy staff and all relevant health professionals concerning the student’s health needs.

Staff, including supply staff, must always be informed of a child’s medical needs where this is relevant and of any changes to their needs as and when they might arise. Mrs Atkinson, Office Manager, is responsible for the medical administration and Miss Hamilton is responsible for health care plans and proformas.

Parents/Carers

It is the responsibility of parents/carers to;

inform the academy of their child’s medical needs (and then a healthcare plan will be drawn up where deemed necessary).
provide any prescribed medication in a container clearly labelled (with the original pharmacy label) with the following;

THE CHILD’S NAME
NAME OF MEDICINE
DOSE AND FREQUENCY OF PRESCRIBED MEDICATION
SPECIAL STORAGE ARRANGEMENTS

collect and dispose of any medicines held in the academy at the end of each term.
ensure that medicines have not passed the expiry date.

Student Information

Parents/carers will be required to give the following information about their child’s long term medical needs and it is their responsibility to update staff if there are any changes, throughout or at the start of each academic year.

Details of student’s medical needs
Medication, including any side effects
Allergies
Name of GP/consultants
Special requirements e.g. dietary needs, pre-activity precautions
What to do and who to contact in an emergency
Cultural and religious views regarding medical care

Health Care Plan

Where appropriate, a personal Health Care Plan will be drawn up in consultation with the academy, parents/carers and health professionals. The Health Care Plan will outline the child’s needs and the level of support required in school. Health Care Plans will be reviewed annually or as often as required. A specific healthcare plan will be put into place if a student has asthma, epilepsy or diabetes.

Examples of where an individual healthcare plan will be drawn up are as follows;

Long term illnesses, e.g. Crohn's disease, Type 1 Diabetes, kidney disease, sickle cell disease
If the child has an accident that has a physical impact on their ability.
Physical disabilities, e.g. if the student requires a wheelchair, splints, physio or adaptations

Individual Health Care Plans

Miss Hamilton, along with the academy Nurse, will monitor students with medical conditions. Individual healthcare plans can help to ensure that schools effectively support students with medical conditions. the academy, Academy Nurse and parent/carer should agree, based on evidence, when a healthcare plan would be appropriate or disproportionate.

Individual Healthcare plans should be reviewed annually or earlier if evidence is presented that the child’s needs have changed.

When a student has SEN but does not have a statement or EHC plan, their special educational needs should be mentioned in their individual healthcare plan. This will be monitored by the SENCO/ Assistant SENCo.

Where a child is returning to school following a period of hospital education or alternative provision (including home tuition), the academy will work with the local authority and education provider to ensure that their individual healthcare plan identifies the support the child will need to reintegrate effectively.

The following information should be recorded on individual healthcare plans:

The medical condition, its triggers, signs, symptoms and treatments;
The student’s resulting needs, including medication (dose, side effects and storage) any other treatments, time, facilities, equipment, testing, access to food and drink where this is used to manage their condition, dietary requirements and environmental issues e.g. crowded corridors, travel time between lessons;
Specific support for the student’s educational, social and emotional needs – for example, how absence will be managed, requirements for extra time to complete exams, use of rest periods or additional support in catching up with lessons, counselling lessons;
The level of support needed, (some children will be able to take responsibility for their own health needs), including emergencies. If a child self-manages their medication, this should be clearly stated with appropriate arrangements for monitoring.
Who will provide this support, their training needs, expectations of their role and confirmation of proficiency to provide support for the child’s medical condition from a healthcare professional; and cove arrangements for when they are unavailable;
Who in the academy needs to be aware of the child’s condition and the support required;
Arrangements for written permission from parents/carers and the Principal for medication to be administered by a member of staff, or self-administered by the student during school hours;
Separate arrangements or procedures required for school trips or other school activities outside of the normal school timetable that will ensure the child can participate, e.g. risk assessment.
Where confidentiality issues are raised by the parent/carer/child, the designated individuals to be entrusted with information about the child’s condition; and
What to do in an emergency, including whom to contact, and contingency arrangements. Some children may have an emergency healthcare plan prepared by their lead clinician that could be used to inform development of their individual healthcare plan.

We will work in partnership with healthcare professionals (and where appropriate, social care professionals), local authorities, and parents/carers to provide effective support for the child.

Academy off-premises visits

Co-op Academy Manchester believes that all students are entitled to participate fully in activities associated with the academy and will attempt at all times to accommodate students with medical needs. However, consideration must be given to the level of responsibility that staff can be expected to accept.

To ensure that as far as possible, all children have access to all activities and areas of Academy life, a thorough risk assessment will be undertaken to ensure the safety of all children and staff. No decision about a child with medical needs attending/not attending a school trip will be taken without prior consultation with the parents/carers. Residential trips and visits off site;

Sufficient essential medicines and appropriate Health Care Plans will be taken and controlled by the member of staff supervising the trip.

If it is felt that additional supervision is required during any activities e.g. swimming, the academy may request the assistance of the parent/carer.

Policy on specific medical issues

The academy welcomes all students and encourages them to participate fully in all activities.

The Academy will advise all staff on the practical aspects of management of:

Asthma attacks
Diabetes
Epilepsy
An Anaphylactic Reaction

The academy will keep a record of students who may require such treatment.

The academy expects all parents whose children may require such treatment to ensure that appropriate medication has been lodged with the academy together with clear guidance on the usage of the medication.

Administering Medication

It is expected that parents/carers will normally administer medication to their children at home. The academy will not allow under any circumstances the administration of non-prescription medicines in the academy. Prescribed medication will only be administered with prior written permission from the parents/carers, including written medical authority if the prescribed medicine needs to be altered (e.g. crushing of tablets). A Request to Administer Prescription Medication Form must be completed. As stated in paragraph 3, staff are not legally required to administer prescribed medicines or to supervise a child when taking prescribed medicine. This is a voluntary role and only a named member of staff may take this role.

The Principal will decide whether any medication will be administered in the academy and following consultation with staff, by whom. All medicine will normally be administered during breaks and lunchtime. If, for medical reasons, medicine has to be taken at other times during the day, arrangements will be made for the medicine to be administered at other prescribed times. Students will be told where their prescribed medication is kept and who will administer it, one of the named members of staff; Miss Hamilton, Miss Russell, Mrs Marchant, Mrs Marshall-Sellars, Miss Hampson and Mr Haseler will administer and supervise each student taking the medication.

Any named member of staff, on each occasion, giving prescribed medicine to a student should check;

Name of student
Written instructions provided by the parents/carers or doctor
Prescribed dose
Expiry date

It is the responsibility of the parent/carers to ensure there is enough medication in the academy for what the student requires

Storage

All prescribed medicine will be kept in a locked cabinet in the first-floor medical support room. All medicine will be logged onto the academy’s file.

Records

A named member of staff will complete and sign a record sheet each time medication is given to a child and these will be kept in the first-floor medical support room. The sheets will record the following;

Name of student
Date and time of administration
Who supervised the administration
Name of medication
Dosage
A note of any side effects
If medicine has been altered for administration (e.g. crushing tablets) and authority for doing so

Refusing Medication

If a child refuses to take their medication, staff will not force them to do so. Parents/carers will be informed as soon as possible. Refusal to take medication will be recorded and dated on the child’s record sheet. Reasons for refusal to take medications must also be recorded as well as the action then taken by the Vice Principal.

Training

Training and advice will be provided by health professions for staff involved in the administration of prescribed medicines. Training for First Aiders will be provided on a range of medical needs, including any resultant learning needs, as and when appropriate.

Intimate or Invasive treatment

This will only take place at the discretion of the Principal and Governors, with written permission from the parents/carers and only under exceptional circumstances. Two adults, one of the same gender as the child, must be present for the administration of such treatment. Cases will be agreed and reviewed on an individual basis. All such treatment will be recorded.

Emergency Procedures

Procedures are in place in case of an emergency.

Carrying medicines

For safety reasons children are only allowed to carry inhalers for the use with an asthmatic condition. No other medication must be carried.

Appendix 1:

Request to Administer Prescribed Medication Form

(to be filed in Medication Administration Record File)

The academy/setting will not give your child any prescribed medication unless you complete and sign this form and the Principal/ Academy Leadership Team has confirmed that academy staff have agreed to administer the medication.

DETAILS OF STUDENT

Surname: Address:

Forename(s):

M/F:

Date of Birth:

Class/Form:

Reason for medication:

Please complete below contact details for 2 parents/carers and the student’s GP

CONTACT DETAILS:

Name: Daytime Contact Telephone No:

Relationship to Student:

Address:

CONTACT DETAILS:

Name: Daytime Contact Telephone No:

Relationship to Student:

Address:

GP CONTACT DETAILS:

Name: Daytime Contact Telephone No:

Address:

I understand that the medication must be delivered by a responsible adult to an authorised/appointed person in the Academy and accept that this is a service which the Academy is not obliged to undertake.

Date: Signature(s):

MEDICATION

Name/Type of Medication (as described on the container):

For how long will your child take this medication?

Date dispensed:

FULL DIRECTIONS FOR USE:

Dosage and amount (as per instructions on container):

Method:

Timing:

Special Precautions: