First aid and medicine policy

Approved by: Adele Clark
Date: 27.10.22
Approved by Chair of Governors: Anthony Molloy
Date: 7.12.22
Last review: October 2022
Next review: September 2024

 Contents

First aid and medicine policy

Aims

Legislation and guidance

Roles and responsibilities

First aid procedures

First aid equipment

Record-keeping and reporting

Training

Monitoring arrangements

Arrangement for medicine in school

Appendix 2: Parental agreement for setting to administer medicine

Appendix 3: Record of medicine administered to an individual child

Aims

The aims of our first aid policy are to:

• Ensure the health and safety of all staff, pupils and visitors
• Ensure that staff and governors are aware of their responsibilities with regards to health and safety

Provide a framework for responding to an incident and recording and reporting the outcomes

Legislation and guidance

This policy is based on the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage, advice from the Department for Education on first aid in schools and health and safety in schools, and the following legislation:

• The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, which state that employers must provide adequate and appropriate equipment and facilities to enable first aid to be administered to employees, and qualified first aid personnel
• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992, which require employers to make an assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees
• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which require employers to carry out risk assessments, make arrangements to implement necessary measures, and arrange for appropriate information and training
• The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 

(RIDDOR) 2013, which state that some accidents must be reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE),  and set out the timeframe for this and how long records of such accidents must be kept

• Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979, which set out rules on the retention of accident records
• The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, which require that suitable space is provided to cater for the medical and therapy needs of pupils

Roles and responsibilities

3.1 Appointed person(s) and first aiders

The school’s appointed main first aider is Carol Gray. They are responsible for:

• Taking charge when someone is injured or becomes ill
• Ensuring there is an adequate supply of medical materials in first aid kits, and replenishing the contents of these kits
• Ensuring that an ambulance or other professional medical help is summoned when appropriate. Inform the Head of school and the admin team when there is a need to call the emergency services.
• Responds to incidents as appropriate; they will assess the situation where there is an injured or ill person, and provide immediate and appropriate treatment
• Sending pupils home to recover, where necessary
• Filling in an accident report on the same day, or as soon as is reasonably practicable, after an incident (see the template in appendix 2)
• Keeping their contact details up to date
• Our school’s appointed person, paediatric first aider/s and/or first aiders are listed in appendix 1.  

        3.2 The governing board

The governing board has ultimate responsibility for health and safety matters in the school, but delegates operational matters and day-to-day tasks to the headteacher and staff members.

3.4 The headteacher

The head of school is responsible for the implementation of this policy, including:

• Ensuring that an appropriate number of appointed persons and/or trained first aid personnel are present in the school at all times  
• Ensuring that first aiders have an appropriate qualification, keep training up to date and remain competent to perform their role
• Ensuring all staff are aware of first aid procedures
• Ensuring appropriate risk assessments are completed and appropriate measures are put in place
• Undertaking, or ensuring that managers undertake, risk assessments, as appropriate, and that appropriate measures are put in place
• Ensuring that adequate space is available for catering to the medical needs of pupils
• Reporting specified incidents to the HSE when necessary (see section 6)  

3.5 Staff

School staff are responsible for:

• Ensuring they follow first aid procedures
• Ensuring they know who the first aiders in school are
• Informing the head of school and their line manager (if different to the head of school) of any specific health conditions or first aid needs

First aid procedures

4.1 In-school procedures

In the event of an accident resulting in injury:

• The closest member of staff present will assess the seriousness of the injury and seek the assistance of the appointed first aider if necessary and appropriate,  who will provide the required first aid treatment
• The first aider, if called, will assess the injury and decide if further assistance is needed from a colleague or the emergency services. They will remain on scene until help arrives
• The first aider will also decide whether the injured person should be moved or placed in a recovery position

If the first aider judges that a pupil is too unwell to remain in school, parents will be contacted and asked to collect their child. Upon their arrival, the first aider will recommend next steps to the parents

• If emergency services are called, the office manager or the first aider will contact parents immediately
• The first aider will complete an accident report form on the same day or as soon as is reasonably practicable after an incident resulting in an injury

4.2 Off-site procedures

When taking pupils off the school premises, staff will ensure they always have the following:

• A school mobile phone
• A portable first aid kit  
• Information about the specific medical needs of pupils
• Parents’ contact details

Risk assessments will be completed by the group leader prior to any educational visit that necessitates taking pupils off school premises. The educational visits coordinator will review the risk assessments before a final review by the Executive Head.

There will always be at least one first aider with a current paediatric first aid certificate on school trips and visits, as required by the statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.

There will always be at least one first aider on school trips and visits.

First aid equipment

A typical first aid kit in our school will include the following:

• A leaflet with general first aid advice
• Regular and large bandages
• Eye pad bandages  
• Triangular bandages
• Adhesive tape
• Safety pins
• Disposable gloves
• Antiseptic wipes
• Plasters of assorted sizes
• Scissors
• Cold compresses
• Burns dressings

First aid kits are stored in:

Main office

• Class rooms
• Reception  
• The school kitchen

No medication is kept in first aid kits.

Record-keeping and reporting

6.1 First aid and accident record book

• An accident form will be completed by Carol Gray on the same day or as soon as possible after an incident resulting in an injury after receiving the notification from other first aiders where appropriate
• As much detail as possible should be supplied when reporting an accident, including all of the information included in the accident form at appendix 2
• A copy of the accident report form will also be added to the pupil’s educational record Carol Gray to the office team who will will file it in the relevant personal file
• Records held in the first aid and accident book will be retained by the school for a minimum of 3 years, in accordance with regulation 25 of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979, and then securely disposed of.

6.2 Reporting to the HSE

The First aid lead will keep a record of any accident which results in a reportable injury, disease, or dangerous occurrence as defined in the RIDDOR 2013 legislation (regulations 4, 5, 6 and 7).

The Headteacher will report these to the Health and Safety Executive as soon as is reasonably practicable and in any event within 10 days of the incident.  Reportable injuries, diseases or dangerous occurrences include:  

• Death
• Specified injuries, which are:

• Fractures, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes o Amputations
• Any injury likely to lead to permanent loss of sight or reduction in sight o Any crush injury to the head or torso causing damage to the brain or internal organs
• Serious burns (including scalding)  o Any scalping requiring hospital treatment
• Any loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia o Any other injury arising from working in an enclosed space which leads to hypothermia or heat-induced illness, or requires resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours

• Injuries where an employee is away from work or unable to perform their normal work duties for more than 7 consecutive days (not including the day of the incident)
• Where an accident leads to someone being taken to hospital
• Near-miss events that do not result in an injury, but could have done. Examples of near-miss events relevant to schools include, but are not limited to:  

• The collapse or failure of load-bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment o The accidental release of a biological agent likely to cause severe human illness
• The accidental release or escape of any substance that may cause a serious injury or damage to health
• An electrical short circuit or overload causing a fire or explosion Information on how to make a RIDDOR report is available here:  

How to make a RIDDOR report, HSE

3. Notifying parents

The lead first aider will inform parents of any accident or injury sustained by a pupil, and any first aid treatment given, on the same day, or as soon as reasonably practicable.

4. Reporting to Ofsted and child protection agencies

The Headteacher will notify Ofsted of any serious accident, illness or injury to, or death of, a pupil while in the school’s care. This will happen as soon as is reasonably practicable, and no later than 14 days after the incident.

The child protection lead will also notify Leeds children services of any serious accident or injury to, or the death of, a pupil while in the school’s care.

Training

All school staff are able to undertake first aid training.  

All first aiders must have completed a training course, and must hold a valid certificate of competence to show this. The school will keep a register of all trained first aiders, what training they have received and when this is valid until (see appendix 1).

Staff are encouraged to renew their first aid training when it is no longer valid.  

At all times, at least 1 staff member will have a current paediatric first aid (PFA) certificate which meets the requirements set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework and is updated at least every 3 years.

Monitoring arrangements

This policy will be reviewed annually by the Headteacher.  

At every review, the policy will be approved by the head teacher and the governing board.

Arrangement for medicine in school 

9.1 Administering medicine in school

• At the beginning of each academic year, any medical conditions are shared with relevant staff and a list of these children and their conditions is kept in the Inclusion folder, First Aid-Medicine Record files and on file in the office.  
• Children with Medical conditions have to have a care plan provided by the Lead First Aider and SENCO, reviewed by the Headteacher and signed by parents/ carers.  
• These need to be checked and reviewed regularly. Medications kept in the school for children with medical needs, are stored in a secure office, in a white cabinet, clearly marked with the green cross, by the door.  
• If the medicine needs to be refrigerated, the medicine will be kept in the fridge situated in the IT room which is a secure office which needs a pin code to enter.
• Each child’s medication is in a clearly labelled container with their care plan.  
• All medicines in school are administered following the agreement of a care plan.

9.2 Asthma

• Children with Asthma do not require a care plan. In order for children’s Asthma pumps to be kept in school a ‘Record sheet’ must be completed.  
• It is the parents/carers responsibility to provide the school with up-to date Asthma Pumps for their children.  
• Adults in the classroom are to check the expiry date on the pumps regularly (at the end of each half-term) and inform parents should the pumps expire or run out.  
• Asthma pumps should be stored in the class medical box, and clearly labelled with the child’s name. Asthma sufferers should not share inhalers.  
• Medical boxes should be taken into PE sessions and on trips. Only Blue (reliever) Asthma Pumps should be kept in schools.

3. Short term prescriptions

Medications such as the short-term use of antibiotics or painkillers can be administered only if the parent /guardian fill out the ‘Parental consent form for administering medicine’, appendix 3, form on the day the request is made. The form will be completed by the lead first aider. Parents need to give the completed form to the lead first aider together with the medication. The lead first aider will pass the medication on to relevant class room staff and will discuss further action. A completed copy of the ‘Parental consent form for administering medicine’ form must be kept in the First Aid and Medicine file.  

However, staff should encourage parents to administer medicine at home. Medication may be administered in school if it is required to be taken four (4) times a day. Only medication prescribed by a GP, Hospital or Pharmacy and clearly ladled with the child’s name, address and required dosage can be administered in school. Non-prescription medication or creams and lotions should not be administered in school. Medications that need to be kept in the fridge can be stored in the fridge in the staff room. Children must always be aware of where their medication is kept. If a child refuses to take medicine, staff should not force them to do so. Instead should note this in records and inform parents/ carers or follow agreed procedures or the Care Plan.

4. Record keeping – Medicine

Staff should record any instances when medicine is administered. This includes if children use their asthma pumps. The records, appendix 4, need to include, date and time of medicine administered, its name and the dose given, signed by the person responsible for administering the medicine. Older children may take their own medicine under the supervision of an adult; this needs to be recorded and the adult still needs to sign the record sheet. Record sheets are in the First Aid and Medicine folder.

Appendix 1:

The following people hold a relevant first aid qualification. This information should be reproduced and displayed in prominent locations around school (e.g. school office, staff room, first aid room, staff handbook etc)

Appendix 2: Parental agreement for setting to administer medicine

The school/setting will not give your child medicine unless you complete and sign this form, and the school or setting has a policy that the staff can administer medicine.

Date for review to be initiated by

Name of school/setting

Name of child

Date of birth

Group/class/form

Medical condition or illness

Medicine

Name/type of medicine

(as described on the container)

Expiry date

Dosage and method

Timing

Special precautions/other instructions

Are there any side effects that the school/setting needs to know about?

Self-administration – y/n

Procedures to take in an emergency

NB: Medicines must be in the original container as dispensed by the pharmacy

Contact Details

Name

Daytime telephone no.

Relationship to child

Address

I understand that I must deliver the medicine personally to

The above information is, to the best of my knowledge, accurate at the time of writing and I give consent to school/setting staff administering medicine in accordance with the school/setting policy. I will inform the school/setting immediately, in writing, if there is any change in dosage or frequency of the medication or if the medicine is stopped.

 Signature(s)                                Date  

Appendix 3: Record of medicine administered to an individual child

Name of school/setting

Name of child

Date medicine provided by parent

Group/class/form

Quantity received

Name and strength of medicine

Expiry date

Quantity returned

Dose and frequency of medicine

Staff signature          ______________________________  

Signature of parent  ______________________________  

Date

Time given

Dose given

Name of member of staff

Staff initials