Medications Guidance
Lead Person/Committee
Review Time/approval
Date of Review
Next Review Date
1 of 5
D:\533570325.doc
LC / H&S&P
2 Yearly
June 2014
June 2016
MEDICATIONS POLICY
1. Introduction.
The Head teacher at Montacute School accepts responsibility for school staff giving or
supervising children taking prescribed medication, or non-prescribed medication, (e.g.
painkillers such as Paracetamol), during the school day only with written consent from
parents or guardians.
It is helpful if, where possible, medication can be prescribed in dose frequencies, which
enable it to be taken outside school hours. Parents should keep their children at home if
acutely unwell and we reserve the right to send the children home if we feel it appropriate
to do so.
1.1. Parents/guardians are responsible for supplying current medical information for their
child. It is to be recorded on the pupil’s medical card and is stored in the grey file in the
office. This information is confidential, used on a need to know only basis, and is updated
regularly. (A photocopy of pupil’s current medical card should also be kept in their
personal file.)
1.2. Medications travelling to and from school, either for use in school or at respite care
should not be put into school bags or luggage. Medication should be clearly named, in its
original packaging in a separate, named package and handed to the school office staff
on arrival at school by the parent or escort delivering the pupil. It will then be stored safely,
in the MSB medication cupboard, or the fridge if necessary, and returned to the
escort/parent at the end of the day as appropriate.
1.3. No medications are to be administered unless the parents/guardians have given
written permission. Any medication that is to be given to a pupil at school should have
written instructions, signed and dated, which includes the name, dose and route of the
medication, the time it is to be given and any special instructions. Records will be kept for
audit and safety purposes.
2. Storage.
MSB Medication (Meds) cupboard contains:
Class medication boxes
Secure box for the storage of Methylphenidate. (A schedule 2 (S2) controlled drug)
Emergency meds box with prescribed individual Rectal Diazepam and Buccal Midazolam.
Medication to go home boxes
2.1. Medicines should be in their original packaging (as dispensed by the pharmacist) and
containers should be childproof if possible.
2.2. The packages should include the prescriber’s instructions for administration, be clearly
labelled with the name and quantity of the medication, the name of the pupil it is
prescribed for, the required dose and frequency/times of administration. If the
prescription label is illegible we should not accept the medication in school.
2 of 5
D:\533570325.doc
2.3. School will not accept any medications that have been decanted into alternative
containers.
2.4. School will not store large volumes of medication.
2.5. The expiry date of the medication should be checked when the medication is brought
into school and regularly thereafter. No medication is to be given if the expiry date has
passed.
2.6. No medications are to be kept in classrooms.
2.7. Particular care needs to be taken where a school stores controlled drugs such as
Methylphenidate (a S2 controlled drug). Recommendation is for these medications to be
kept in ‘safe custody’ and kept double locked away at all times except when being
accessed for the administration to the named recipient.
3. Administration of Medications.
3.1 Medications are normally dispensed by the member of staff who is responsible for the
pupil, if they are happy to do so. A second member of staff must witness the dispensing if
appropriate. The person administering the medication and the person checking should
check that the drug, the dose, the time and the route are all correct for the pupil. Any
person administering any medication in school must ensure that a clear and accurate
record is made on the appropriate medication chart. These are kept in the files on the top
of the meds cupboard in MSB.
3.2. Two people are required to witness and record the dispensing and administration of
ALL medications to our pupils. Staff involved in intrusive/intimate administration of
medication should be aware of and adhere to the guidelines in the Intimate Care Policy.
3.3. All carers of the pupil should be aware of any potential side effects that may occur as
a result of the medication having been given.
The guidelines concerning the administration of painkillers are very strict therefore it is
school policy that no pain relief or temperature lowering medication, i.e., Calpol will be
given before midday unless staff have made certain that the pupil has not already been
given some during the previous four hours before attending school. Parents / carers will be
informed via the home/school diary the time and dose of any appropriate non
prescription medications, supplied from home, given to a pupil during the school day.
(The NHS/DFE guidelines state that painkillers including Aspirin / Ibuprofen should not be
given to children under 16 unless prescribed by a G.P)
4. Staff training.
4.1. Any specific training that may be required for administering a particular type of
medication will be arranged with the appropriate health professional and a record will be
kept.
3 of 5
D:\533570325.doc
4.2. Where ever possible pupils should be taught not to receive medicine from anyone
other than an adult who they know and trust. Principals of informed consent should be
taken into consideration when giving medicines to any pupil.
4.3. If a pupil refuses to take medication, school staff will not force them to do so.
4.4. It is not our school policy to hold medication on the premises for administration to
school staff. Any medication brought into school is the total responsibility of the individual
member of staff and should be stored in a safe place and out of the reach of our pupils.
4.5. In the unlikely event of an error in giving medication the school emergency protocols
should be activated. Any such incident must be accurately documented, reported to the
Head teacher and to the parents of the pupil concerned.
5. Emergency Medications - specifically Buccal Midazolam and Rectal Diazepam.
5.1. The school stores medication that a pupil might need in an emergency in the
medication cupboard in MSB; all staff should know where to obtain the keys.
5.2. Members of staff may be nominated to take responsibility for administering
medications in an emergency. They will have received training for specific medications as
appropriate to the pupils currently at school and be aware of the effects of the
medication that they are administering. A second member of staff should always check
the drug and its expiry date, the dose and the route are all correct for the pupil. Both staff
must witness and record the administration of these medications.
5.3. The pupil’s dignity should be maintained throughout the procedure of administering
any medication.
6. Medications going out of school / off site
6.1. It may sometimes be necessary to give pupils medicines during the period of a school
outing.
This is to be dispensed and signed out of the meds cupboard (red file). It must be clearly
named, in its original packaging and safely stored until required. Staff on the outing are
responsible for the safe transit of this medication. On return to school the medicine is to be
signed for as given in the appropriate file. Any unused medication is to be signed back
into school and returned to the safety of the medicines cupboard.
6.2. Any medication for use in an emergency (e.g. for prolonged seizure) should be signed
out of school and taken with the pupil. Clear written instructions for administration of the
medication and emergency contact numbers for the parents/guardians are stored with
the medication. A member of staff who has received appropriate training specific to the
needs of the pupil should accompany the pupil.
4 of 5
D:\533570325.doc
6.3. On return to school any administered medication is to be documented immediately
and signed for, both by the person who administered the medication and the person who
checked and witnessed it. A replacement dose will need to be arranged as appropriate.
7. Disposal of Medication
All unused medications, medicine that has passed its expiry date, or is no longer required
will be returned to the parents. If this is not possible then the medication will be taken to a
pharmacy for appropriate disposal.
References
Borough of Poole – Medical Advice for staff in Schools
DfES Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years settings. March 2005
PPO- Pastoral Practitioners Organisation – Managing Medicines in School 2006.
NMC – Nursing Midwifery Council – Guidelines for the administration of medicines
5 of 5
D:\533570325.doc