Medication should only be administered in school when it would be detrimental to a child/young person’s health or school attendance not to do so.
Where clinically possible, medicines should be prescribed in dose frequencies which enable them to be taken outside school hours. Schools will need: A written agreement and consent from parent (form available from the school office).
Prescribed medication
This should be prescribed by a doctor, dentist, nurse prescriber or pharmacist prescriber. Medication must be appropriately labelled and in the original packaging. The exception to this is insulin which will generally be available to schools inside an insulin pen, a pump or a vial, rather than its original container. The container /package for prescribed medicine must show the following:
- name of patient.
- name of medication.
- the dosage
- frequency of dosage.
- strength of medication.
- date prescribed and expiry date.
- specific directions for the administration.
- precautions relating to the medication (e.g. possible side effects, storage instructions).
- the name of the dispensing pharmacy.
Check the measuring device, if applicable, supplied by the pharmacist is included. It is the responsibility of a parent to ensure medication is delivered to school appropriately. Medication must be handed to a member of staff and the appropriate forms completed in school.