Administering Medicines and Meeting Medical Needs of Individuals
Autumn 2014
To be reviewed 2015
Administering Medicine to children at East-the-Water Primary School
The following information is taken from the school’s Administering Medicine To Children Policy and
meets the requirements of Devon Education Authority’s Equal Opportunity Policy and Administering
Medicine Policy. The school recognises that only staff who are willing and have been appropriately
trained are to administer medicines. This must be with the approval of the Headteacher and in
accordance with instructions issued by the Paediatrician or GP. The role of administering medicine
should be volunteered by staff and should not be expected to accept role if unhappy to do so. The
school will endeavour to ensure that children’s medical needs are met whenever possible. The school
supports the need to ensure that staff are able to attend / receive specific training, meeting the needs of
individuals and meets the requirements of the SEN and Disability Act and The Disability Discrimination
Act.
Medicines Likely to be brought to School

Antibiotics: A child may be considered fit to return to school by their GP provided he/she
continues a course of antibiotics. These could be in tablet or liquid form. In most circumstances
the dosage can be arranged so that a midday dose is not necessary. The school has a policy
of not administering medicines, therefore alternative arrangements involving the parent/carer
administering the dose must be negotiated.

Eye/Ear/Nose Drops: It is the responsibility of the parent/carer to see that their child receives
an appropriate dose when required. The school has a policy of not administering medicines,
therefore alternative arrangements involving the parent/carer administering the dose must be
negotiated.

Maintenance Drugs: A child may be on a medication for conditions such as epilepsy or cystic
fibrosis. Therefore written instructions and an accompanied medical letter should be given to
the school to enable appropriate action to be taken when administering drugs.

Inhalers: A child with asthma may have an inhaler, which may need to be given regularly,
before exercise, or if the child becomes wheezy. If parents consider that their child is capable
of independently administering the medication the responsibility will still be with the school and
the child will be supervised at all times. The school will ensure that inhalers are kept within the
child’s class in a secure position but accessed easily. Inhalers should be stored in a labelled
clear plastic box with a lid. The parent / carer should supply the inhaler in a box. The box
should display expiry date, child’s class and name.

Employee's Medicines: An employee may need to bring their medicine into school. All staff
have a responsibility to ensure that their medicines are kept secure in locker and that children
will not have access to them. These medicines will include headache tablets eg ibuprofen,
aspirin.

Non-Prescription Medication
School staff should never give non-prescribed medication to a child unless there is specific
prior written permission from the parents and agreed by Headteacher. A child should never be
given aspirin or medicines containing ibuprofen. In agreed circumstances children should be
supervised taking medication.
If a child suffers regularly from frequent or acute pain the parent should be encouraged to refer
the matter to the child’s GP.
Storage
Schools should not store large amounts of medication. The Headteacher should request that the
required dose is brought in each day. With some medication this may not always be possible. In these
cases, schools should ensure that a plastic container with lid is labelled with the name of the child, the
name, expiry date and dose of the drug and the frequency of administration. If a child requires two or
more prescribed medicines, each should be in a separate container. The Headteacher is responsible for
ensuring that medicines are stored safely away from children. Children should know who to contact if
they need their medication. Some medicines need to be refrigerated and will only be kept in a
refrigerator containing food if they are in an airtight container and are clearly labelled. All medicines
must be kept in a locked cabinet used only for that purpose. The Administration Assistant is responsible
for the storage of medicines and administering medication. In cases of emergency the key must be
readily available to all members of staff to ensure access. This will be stored and clearly labelled in the
Headteacher’s office. If Administration Assistant is absent, the Deputy Headteacher must be notified of
storage and identified children in need of medical support. The School nurse’s will be contacted by
school for advice on safe storage for medicines. They can also offer advice on suitable temperatures
required for certain items, possible damage by exposure to light and the life span of certain medication.
If you wish to read the full policy, please receive a copy of the school’s ‘Administering Medication to
Children Policy’. This can be obtained from the school office.
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