Reservoir West Primary School

MEDICATION POLICY

RESPONSIBILITY: Mr Craig Morgan

Teachers and Office Staff are often asked by parents to administer medication for their children whilst they are at school. It is important that such requests are managed in a manner that is appropriate, and ensures the safety and privacy of all students and staff, and fulfils the legal duty of care of staff.

Some students who attend Reservoir West Primary School require regular medication to control illnesses.

• Reservoir West Primary School recognises the benefits to students of continued attendance at school and supports the regular attendance of all students.
• Written permission from a parent or guardian is required before any medication is administered by staff.
• All student medication is to be administered by teachers and stored safely in a container.

Aim

To ensure the medications are administered appropriately to students in our care

Implementation

• Children who are unwell should not attend school
• If a child becomes unwell at school the parent/carer will be contacted to collect their child.
• School will not administer or supply analgesics (pain relievers) unless directed by parents as part of an agreed Medical Management Plan.
• All parent requests for the administration of prescribed medications to their child must be in writing on the form provided and must be supported by specific written instruction from the medical practitioner or pharmacist including the name of the student, dosage and time to be administered (original medications bottle or container should provide this information).
• All verbal requests for children to be administered prescribed medications whilst at school must be directed to the Principal or First Aid Co-ordinator, who in turn, will seek a meeting or discussion with parents to confirm details of the request and to outline school staff responsibilities.
• Requests for prescribed medications to be administered by the school ‘as needed’ will cause the Principal or First Aid Co-ordinator to seek further written clarification from the parent/carer and doctor.
• All student medications must be in the original containers or ‘dosette’ box and clearly labelled. The quantity of medication must be confirmed and documented and be stored in either the locked office cabinet or refrigerator, whichever is most appropriate.
• Consistent with our Asthma policy, students who provide the school with written parent permission, supported by approval of the Principal or First Aid Co-ordinator, may carry an asthma inhaler with them.
• Classroom teachers and casual relief teachers will be informed by the Principal or First Aid Co-ordinator of prescribed medications for students in their charge, and teachers will release students at prescribed times so that they may visit the school office and receive their medications from the designated officer.
• All completed Medical Management Plans and details relating to students, their prescribed medication, dosage quantities and times of administering will be kept and recorded in a confidential medications register located in the school office by the First Aid Co-Ordinator.
• Students involved in excursions will be discreetly administered prescribed medications by the ‘Teacher in Charge’ in a manner consistent with the above procedures, with all details recorded on loose-leaf pages from the official medications register. Completed pages will be returned to the official medications register on return of the excursion to school.
• Parents or guardians will take responsibility for the administration of more complex medications eg: medication by injection.

Students with a significant medical condition eg diabetes, asthma and anaphylaxis will be encouraged to participate in all school activities. Students are able to attend school camps when they are reliably independent in their own care of their condition.

At the commencement of each year requests for updated medical information will be sent home, including requests for any long-term illness Management Plans. These plans should be developed by parents in consultation with their child’s doctor. Plans should be attached to the student’s file and updated yearly.

This policy is to be read in conjunction with the school’s Asthma and Anaphylaxis Policies and the DEECD First Aid Policy.

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