Medication and First-Aid Boundaries Policy

This policy applies at [school name] where the school stores, supports or administers pupil medication or emergency medication. Individual healthcare-plan and trained-administrator controls apply only where relevant to the pupil and medication.

Medication and first-aid boundaries

Medication should not be stored in a first-aid container. The school will keep pupil medication and first-aid equipment separate.

First aid at work does not include giving tablets or medicines. The exception is when aspirin is used as first aid for a casualty with a suspected heart attack who is over 16. Aspirin must not be given to a child younger than 16 unless it has been prescribed by a doctor.

Pupils who take their own medication

Some pupils may carry their own medication, such as an inhaler for asthma or adrenaline for intramuscular use in anaphylaxis. Where appropriate, the role of a first aider is generally limited to helping a pupil who needs to take their own medication to do so.

First aiders must not treat the availability of a pupil’s own medication as permission to administer tablets or medicines as first aid.

Emergency medication and individual healthcare plans

Where a pupil may need access to life-saving prescription medication in an emergency, the relevant details will be recorded in the pupil’s individual healthcare plan.

Identified staff members will be aware of what to do in relation to the emergency medication described in the individual healthcare plan. These controls apply only where emergency medication and an individual healthcare plan are relevant to the pupil.

Trained administration of specified prescription-only medication

The administration of prescription-only medication specified in Schedule 19 of the Human Medicines Regulations 2012 should only be undertaken by people trained to do so.

The school’s responsible role for maintaining this policy is [policy owner role].

Application

This policy is applied according to the needs of the pupil and the medication involved. Where no relevant pupil, emergency medication or specified prescription-only medication is present, the corresponding individual healthcare-plan or trained-administrator control does not apply.