Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions Policy[1]
This Policy is governed by the statutory guidance and non-statutory advice set out in the document ‘Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions’ Department for Education, April 2014. The policy also applies to activities taking place off-site as part of normal educational activities. It will be reviewed following the Department for Education review in September 2015.
The Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on the Governing Body to make arrangements for supporting pupils in school with medical conditions.
Key Points for Arboretum Primary School
Every effort will be made to ensure that:
The Role of the Governing Body
1. The Governing Body will ensure that arrangements are in place to support pupils with medical conditions. In doing so they will ensure that such children can access and enjoy the same opportunities at school as any other child. In some cases this will require flexibility and involve, for example, programmes of study that rely on part time attendance at school in combination with alternative provision arranged by the local authority. Consideration may also be given to how children will be reintegrated back into school after periods of absence.
2. In making their arrangements the governing body will take into account that many of the medical conditions that require support at school will affect quality of life and may be life-threatening. Some will be more obvious than others. The Governing Body will therefore ensure that the focus is on the needs of each individual child and how their medical condition impacts on their school life.
3. The Governing Body will ensure that their arrangements give parents/carers and pupils confidence in the school’s ability to provide effective support for medical conditions in school. The arrangements will show an understanding of how medical conditions impact on a child’s ability to learn, as well as increase their confidence and promote self-care. They will ensure that staff are properly trained to provide the support that pupils need.
4. Children and young people with medical conditions are entitled to a full education and have the same rights of admission to school as other children. This means that no child with a medical condition will be denied admission or prevented from taking up a place in school because arrangements for their medical condition have not been made. However, in line with their safeguarding duties, the Governing Body will ensure that pupils’ health is not put at unnecessary risk from, for example infectious diseases. They therefore do not have to accept a child in school at times where it would be detrimental to the health of that child or others to do so.
5. The Governing Body will ensure that the arrangements they put in place are sufficient to meet their statutory responsibilities and should ensure that policies, plans, procedures and systems are properly and effectively implemented. This aligns with their wider safeguarding duties. The Governing Body will ensure that this policy is reviewed regularly and is readily accessible to parents/carers and school staff.
Policy Implementation
The head Teacher is responsible for ensuring that:
Procedures to be followed when notification is received that a pupil has a medical condition.
Individual Pupil School Healthcare Plans
The model process in Appendix A will be followed for developing Individual Pupil School Healthcare Plans.
School, healthcare professionals and parent/carers should agree, based on evidence, when a healthcare plan would be inappropriate or disproportionate. If consensus cannot be reached, the headteacher will take a final view. Individual Pupil School Healthcare Plans will be easily accessible to all who need to refer to them, while preserving confidentiality. The level of detail within plans will depend on the complexity of the child’s condition and the degree of support needed.
Individual Pupil’s School Healthcare Plans, (and their review), may be initiated, in consultation with the parent/carer, by a member of school staff or a healthcare professional involved in providing care to the child. Plans will be drawn up in partnership between the school, parents/carers, and a relevant healthcare professional, who can best advise on the particular needs of the child. For example school nursing services may advise who can contribute to the sections on feeding needs such as gastrostomy, nasogastric, alongside specialist nurses for children with a tracheostomy. Plans for children with asthma and epilepsy will be overseen by the specialist nurse. Pupils will also be involved whenever appropriate. The aim will be to capture the steps which the school will take to help the child manage their condition and overcome any potential barriers to getting the most from their education.
Plans will be reviewed at least annually, or earlier if evidence is presented that the child’s needs have changed. The plans will be developed with the child’s best interests in mind and ensure that the school assesses and manages risks to the child’s education, health and social well-being and minimises disruption. The Individual Pupil’s School Healthcare Plan will be linked to or become part of each child’s Statement or Education/Healthcare Plan.
Where a child is returning to school following a period of hospital education or alternative provision (including home tuition), the school will work with the local authority and education provider to ensure that the Individual Healthcare Plan identifies the support the child will need to reintegrate effectively.
Contents of Individual Pupil’s School Health Care Plans
These will include, as appropriate:
Roles and Responsibilities
Partnership working between school staff, healthcare professionals (and where appropriate, social care professionals), local authorities, parent/carers and pupils is critical in providing effective support, to ensure that the needs of pupils with medical conditions are met effectively. Collaborative working arrangements between all those involved, showing how they will work in partnership is set out below.
Arboretum will work with:
Staff Training and Support
Any member of school staff providing support to a pupil with medical needs will have received suitable training. This will have been identified during the development or review of Individual Pupil’s School Healthcare Plans. Where staff already have some knowledge of the specific support needed by a child with a medical condition, extensive training may not be required. Staff who provide support to pupils with medical conditions will be included in meetings where this is discussed.
The relevant healthcare professional will normally lead on identifying and agreeing with the school, the type and level of training required, and how this can be obtained. The school may choose to arrange the training themselves and will ensure this remains up-to-date.
Training will be sufficient to ensure that staff are competent and have confidence in their ability to support pupils with medical conditions, and to fulfil the requirements as set out in individual pupil’s school healthcare plans. This will include an understanding of the specific medical conditions they are being asked to deal with, their implications and preventative measures.
Staff must not give prescription medicines or undertake health care procedures without appropriate training (updated to reflect any individual pupil’s school healthcare plans). A first-aid certificate does not constitute appropriate training in supporting children with medical conditions. Healthcare professionals, which may include the school nurse, will provide confirmation of the proficiency of staff, in a medical procedure, or in providing medication.
All staff will be made aware of the school’s policy for supporting pupils with medical conditions and their role in implementing that policy during an annual inset day and via whole school email, with the policy available for reference on the Staff Shared Area and the school website. Induction arrangements for new staff will include reference to this policy. The advice of the relevant healthcare professionals will be taken on training that will help ensure that all medical conditions affecting pupils in the school are understood fully. This will include preventative and emergency measures so that staff can recognise and act quickly when a problem occurs.
The family of a child will often be key in providing relevant information to school staff about how their child’s needs can be met. Parent/carers will be asked for their views and may provide specific advice.
The details of continuing professional development provision opportunities will be provided to staff as appropriate.
The Child’s Role in Managing Their Own Medical Needs
After discussion with parent/carers, children who are competent will be encouraged to take responsibility for managing their own medicines and procedures. This will be reflected within Individual Pupil School Healthcare Plans. Wherever possible, guided by safety considerations, children will be able to access their medicines or relevant devices for self-medication quickly and easily. Children who can take their medicines themselves or manage procedures will have an appropriate level of supervision. If it is not appropriate for a child to self-manage, then relevant staff will help to administer medicines and manage procedures for them.
If a child refuses to take medicine or carry out a necessary procedure, staff will not force them to do so, but follow the procedure agreed in the Individual Pupil School Healthcare Plan. Parent/carers should be informed so that alternative options can be considered.
Managing Medicines on School Premises
In conjunction with the Policy on the Administration of Medication in School:
Record Keeping
The Governing Body is responsible for ensuring that written records are kept of all medicines administered to children. On a day-to-day basis, staff administering medication will keep written records of all medicines given, and sign to confirm the details. Parent/carers will be informed if their child has been unwell at school, either by home-school book, phone call or in person as appropriate.
Emergency Procedures
The School’s First Aid Policy sets out what should happen in an emergency.
Where a child has an Individual Pupil School Healthcare Plan, this will clearly define what constitutes an emergency and explain what to do, including ensuring that all relevant staff are aware of emergency symptoms and procedures. Where appropriate, other pupils in school will be briefed on what to do in general terms, such as informing a member of staff immediately if they think help is needed.
If a child needs to be taken to hospital, staff will stay with the child until the parent/carer arrives, or accompany a child taken to hospital by ambulance.
Day Trips, Residential Visits and Sporting Activities
Pupils with medical conditions will be actively supported to participate in school trips and visits, or in sporting activities, so that their condition does not prevent them from doing so. Teachers will be aware of how a child’s medical condition will impact on their participation, but be flexible enough to enable all children to participate according to their own abilities and with any reasonable adjustments. The school will make arrangements for the inclusion of pupils in such activities with any adjustments as required unless evidence from a clinician such as a GP states that this is not possible.
School staff will consider what reasonable adjustments they might make to enable children with medical needs to participate fully and safely on visits. The lead member of staff will carry out a risk assessment so that planning arrangements take account of any steps needed to ensure that pupils with medical conditions are included. This may require consultation with parents/carers and pupils and advice from the relevant healthcare professional to ensure that pupils can participate safely. (Please also see Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance on school trips.)
Other Issues
Unacceptable Practice
School staff will use their discretion and judge each case on its merits with reference to each child’s Individual Pupil School Healthcare Plan. It is not generally acceptable practice to:
Liability and Indemnity
Governing bodies must ensure that the appropriate level of insurance is in place and appropriately reflects the level of risk. The school’s insurance arrangements cover staff providing support to pupils with medical conditions. These insurance policies are accessible to staff providing such support. Insurance policies will provide liability cover relating to the administration of medication, and individual cover is arranged for particular health care procedures .e.g. tracheostomy care and suction, gastrostomy and nasogastric feeding. The level and ambit of cover required will be ascertained directly from the relevant insurers. Any requirements of the insurance, such as the need for staff to be trained, will be made clear and complied with.
It is noted that in the event of a claim alleging negligence by a member of staff, civil actions are likely to be brought against the employer.
Complaints
The procedure for making a complaint is set out in the School Complaints Policy available to parent/carers/pupils on the school website. School hope that should parents/carers or pupils be dissatisfied with the support provided, they will discuss their concerns directly with school first. If for whatever reason this does not resolve the issue, they may make a formal complaint via the school’s complaints procedure. Making a formal complaint to the Department for Education should only occur if it comes within scope of section 496/497 of the Education Act 1996 and after other attempts at resolution have been exhausted. Ultimately, parent/carers (and pupils) will be able to take independent legal advice and bring formal proceedings if they consider they have legitimate grounds to do so.
Further Sources of Information
Other Safeguarding Legislation
Section 21 of the Education Act 2002 provides that governing bodies of maintained schools must in discharging their functions in relation to the conduct of the school promote the well-being of pupils at the school.
Section 175 of the Education Act 2002 provides that governing bodies of maintained schools must make arrangements for ensuring that their functions relating to the conduct of the school are exercised with a view to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children who are pupils at the school.
Section 3 of the Children Act 1989 provides a duty on a person with the care of a child (who does not have parental responsibility for the child) to do all that is reasonable in all the circumstances for the purposes of safeguarding or promoting the welfare of the child.
Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 gives local authorities a general duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children in need in their area.
Section 10 of the Children Act 2004 provides that the local authority must make arrangements to promote co-operation between the authority and relevant partners (including the governing body of a maintained school, the proprietor of an academy, clinical commissioning groups and the NHS Commissioning Board) with a view to improving the well-being of children, including their physical and mental health, protection from harm and neglect, and education. Relevant partners are under a duty to cooperate in the making of these arrangements.
The NHS Act 2006: Section 3 gives Clinical Commissioning Groups a duty to arrange for the provision of health services to the extent the CCG considers it necessary to meet the reasonable needs of the persons for whom it's responsible. Section 3A provides for a CCG to arrange such services as it considers appropriate to secure improvements in physical and mental health of, and in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of illness, in the persons for whom it's responsible. Section 2A provides for local authorities to secure improvements to public health, and in doing so, to commission school nurses.
Governing Bodies’ duties towards disabled children and adults are included in the Equality Act 2010, and the key elements are as follows:
Other Relevant Legislation
Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and the associated regulations, provides that it is the duty of the employer (the local authority, governing body or academy trust) to take reasonable steps to ensure that staff and pupils are not exposed to risks to their health and safety.
Under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and associated Regulations the supply, administration, possession and storage of certain drugs are controlled. Schools may have a child that has been prescribed a controlled drug.
The Medicines Act 1968 specifies the way that medicines are prescribed, supplied and administered within the UK and places restrictions on dealings with medicinal products, including their administration.
Regulation 5 of the School Premises (England) Regulations 2012 (as amended) provide that maintained schools must have accommodation appropriate and readily available for use for medical examination and treatment and for the caring of sick or injured pupils. It must contain a washing facility and be reasonably near to a toilet. It must not be teaching accommodation.
The Special Educational Needs Code of Practice
Section 19 of the Education Act 1996 (as amended by Section 3 of the Children
Schools and Families Act 2010) provides a duty on local authorities of maintained schools to arrange suitable education for those who would not receive such education unless such arrangements are made for them. This education must be full time, or such part time education as is in a child’s best interests because of their health needs.
Associated Resources
Links to other information and associated advice, guidance and resources e.g. templates and to organisations providing advice and support on specific medical conditions will be provided on the relevant web-pages at GOV.UK.Annex A: Model process for developing Individual Pupil’s School Healthcare Plans (IPSHCP)
Please refer to the attachment below for further details.