Does your Primary School administer short term medicines.

[FranSanDisco]

I specifically mean medicines not requiring a care plan such as calpol or penicillan which may need to be given during the school day as part of a course of treatment.

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/196479/Managing_Medicines.pdf

DD goes to a state school (small village school). She has asthma and, as such, has a detailed health care plan in place. She has reliever inhalers and a spacer in class. DD is 6yo and good at knowing when her asthma is becoming troublesome - she tends to continually cough when bothered rather than wheeze lots, certainly in the earlier stages of an attack - and the teaching staff are also good at recognising the earlier signs. Her inhalers are taken wherever she is; so if she is doing outdoor sports, the teacher takes the inhalers outside too. This is the same for all children with asthma, as an attack can be sudden and without warning.

Insulin, asthma and allergic medications are also kept in the office and given either daily or when necessary. Noramum, I would not be happy with this arrangement at all. DD's asthma can take a very sudden turn and, if her medications were in the office as opposed to kept in the classroom where she is, then the delay in administering them could be life threatening.

DD has also been prescribed Betnovate for eczema and the teaching staff have helped her apply it if necessary. Unless it was for a recurring condition and/or specifically advised by the GP (e.g. period pains in an older primary girl), I would not expect the school to administer pain relief medication like Calpol.

Mrz thanks for the link.

Thanks for all replies. There appears to be wide differences between schools. The issue I am specifically interested in is the calpol, antibiotic type treatment. Care plans/long term health care and emergency care is not an issue. Epipens, inhalers, eczema cream application is all carried out.

Where a welfare person or school nurse is not based on site throughout the day, and the child is too young to manage him/herself, this obviously falls to office or support staff I guess and their agreement to do so unless contractua?

As a school we would administer the prescribed antibiotic and Calpol etc (labelled with child's name and dosage from pharmacy) but not over the counter medications.

State primary here …we will give medicine but only if prescribed and with pharmacy label on giving instructions. Parents need to complete a form giving details of the dose and time the medicine is needed.

Our school used to but now won't only long term meds..Basically someone complained to health and safety and have been told they won't be supported if they have made an error and a parent sue's

no only prescribed medicines. they say if a child needs calpol then they shouldn't be at school.