Medication

We follow the East Sussex guidelines when administering medication to our pupils. This is as follows:

'Short Term Medical Needs

Many children may need to take medication during the school day at some time during their time in school, e.g. to finish a course of antibiotics or to apply a lotion. To allow a child to do this will minimise the time they need to be absent. However, medicines should only be taken to school where it would be detrimental to a child's health if it were not administered during the school day. Ideally, the medication could be prescribed in dose frequencies which enables it to be taken outside the school day, i.e. three times per day (breakfast, dinner, and bedtime).'

If a child is prescribed medication four times a day, we will administer it. However, once again we follow East Sussex guidelines:

Any medication must be brought by an adult to the school office at the beginning of the day and taken home at 3.15pm by an adult.

A First Aider will administer medicines and keep a record that they have been given. We must stress that pupils should not be at school if they are unwell and if at all possible, pupils should receive their medication at home.

For all medicines to be administered parents should complete a consent form which can be found below. Each time there is a variation in the pattern of dosage a new form should be completed. A new form should be completed for each medicine to be administered. It is the parent/carer's responsibility to ensure that the medicine we store is within it's use by date.

The smallest practicable dose should be brought into school in individual original containers, which should be clearly labeled with the pupil’s name and dosage instructions. It is recommended that a primary school pupil should never carry medicine to and from school and medicines should be handed to the office administrator by the parent on arrival at school. As per county recommendation we only administer medicine prescribed by a doctor. Only medication prescribed by a doctor and required 4 times a day will be administered. The child will be given the medication at lunchtime i.e. 12 -12.15pm approximately.

Inhalers for asthmatics will be kept in the classroom in a secure place and available for immediate use. This is in order to prevent damage or loss which might occur if they are kept on a child’s person, to allow an accurate record of usage to be kept and for the safety of other pupils in the school.

Temporarily prescribed medication will be stored in the fridge or suitable arrangements made. These will be detailed on the Parent Consent Forms for Medication.

Medicine Form