Medicines in School
Following 2014 Governmental guidance in the document "Supporting Pupils at School with Medical Conditions", SS John & Monica's will do everything it can to support accessibility for pupils who need medication during the school day. Medicine required to maintain life will always be allowed on-site, and a care plan will be devised. Non-emergency medications will be discussed on a case-by-case basis to suit the child's medical needs and ease of administration for the parent. Staff do not routinely give medicines in school, and parents who request this must complete paperwork giving consent.
Under no circumstances should you send your child to school with medication in their bags.
If your child has asthma and has a prescribed inhaler from your GP, you should ensure they have a spare one that can be kept in school. It should be clearly labelled with your child’s name and expiry date. Each class has a box with asthma and Epi-pen medication, which will be accessible to your child at all times. It is the parent’s responsibility to check expiration dates.
Administering Medication
• Medicines should only be brought into school when essential, i.e., when it would be detrimental to the child’s health if the medicines were not administered during the school day. A parent or carer must visit the school to administer routine medicines such as paracetamol or antibiotic doses wherever possible.
• We can only administer prescribed/non-prescribed medicines in date, labelled, and provided in the original container as dispensed by a pharmacist. These medicines include instructions for administration, dosage, and storage. The exception is insulin, which must still be in date but will generally be available to schools inside an insulin pen or a pump rather than its original container.
• No child under 16 should be given prescription or non-prescription medicines without their parent's/carer's written consent. The adult must complete a parental agreement form for the medicine to be administered by school staff.
• A child under 16 should never be given medicine containing aspirin unless prescribed by a doctor. Medication, e.g., pain relief, should never be administered without first checking maximum dosages and when the previous dose was taken.
• In the case of antibiotics, only those prescribed four times a day may be administered at school or three times per day if attending after-school clubs.
• Medicines will not be accepted in schools that require medical expertise or intimate contact.
• Adults must bring all medicines to the school office. Medicines must NEVER be brought to school in a child’s possession. This includes cough medicines and sore throat sweets.
Medical / Dental Visits
The school should be informed when a child will attend a medical appointment (an appointment card/letter is needed). Please report to the School Office before collecting your child.
NO CHILD may leave the school premises during the day unless an adult accompanies them.
Medication Information