CMs - record of giving medicine

[looneytune]

Just a quick question before the school run.

I'm trying to reduce any paperwork I can and just wondered about the medicine record. I have blanket permission for all my mindees although will only give after 4 hours in my care or if I've had confirmed from parents they haven't had any before coming to me. I currently log what I give in the NCMA book and get them to sign it. I also type it onto the daily diary I email at the end of each day.

I was wondering if verbal notificiation at pickup and the emailed daily dairy info would be enough or do I still have to continue to get a proper signed record? (trying to stop having to buy expensive stuff from NCMA too )

TIA :)

We were told at the pre-reg that we had to have a signed copy of the log - and to get the parent to date it when they sign it. They can't dispute a signature but they can claim that they weren't told/didn't see the email.

Can't you use an exercise book or something instead of the official NCMA book?

EYFS requirements are that:-

Providers must keep written records of all medicines administered to children, and inform parents.

Providers must obtain prior written permission for each and every medicine from parents before any medication is given.

I always get parents to sign that they have been informed that a child has rceived medication on collection - got criticised in an inspection for 1 entry out of the many over the 3 years prior to the inspection not having been signed so am a bit pedantic about it now. I have never used the NCMA books though - I just print out an A4 sheet for each individual child which, so long as it has all the necessary information on it, has always been fine.

Thanks guys, will reply properly later but one quick question......I use a blanket permission form and I know of others who are outstanding that do too. The wording in the book says 'each and every medicine' not 'each and every time'. I presume that is still ok? It also doesn't say in the book that it has to be signed each time so if an inspector did pull me up on that, I'd point it out in the book and say that's just her 'opinion' and make sure she removed any concern about that from anything she writes (I've had to challenge Ofsted a lot and therefore have complete confidence in turning things round now )

The notes below are taken from the Ofsted Factsheet 'Guidance on Giving Medication in Registered Childcare Settings'
I think the key bit is the 'tell parents' cos how do you prove you've done this if you don't get the parents to sign

As a provider you must:
 have, and put into practice, an effective policy on giving medicines to children in your setting, which must include effective systems to support children with medical needs
 keep written records of all medicines you give to children, and tell parents about these records; and get written permission from parents for every medicine before you give any medication.

If a parent or carer wants you to give their child medicine, you must get the parent?s or carer?s written permission and instructions showing the dose, how often it is given and so on. If these instructions are from a doctor and exceed the dose recommended on the packaging you may want the parent to confirm in writing their agreement to you dong this.
This applies to each and every medicine a parent wants you to give.
It does not apply to every time you give the medication. For example, you will need permission at the start of a course of antibiotics, but not for every time you give each dose of the antibiotic during the course of the treatment. You should keep this information in a safe place.

If you already have written permission to give a particular over-the-counter medication to a child, and you need to, you do not have to get written permission every time you give it. However, you may consider it good practice to ask the parent to sign the written record, which you must complete, to confirm that you have told them that you gave the agreed medication. This will allow you to prove you have let parents know that you gave the medication, as shown in the Statutory Framework.

I have a form signed by parents to say I can give calpol after confirming by phone. I use the NCMA form to get them to sign to show they know i gave medicines. I also use NCMA forms for regular or repeating medicines. You could design your own form. Maybe a read receipt on an email would do, but i'd rather get a signature.

if you have a blank page left in ncma book why not photocopy it?