Chronic Conditions Guiding Statement
A. Faithlegg N.S ensures that the whole school environment is inclusive and favourable to students with chronic conditions
B. Faithlegg N.S understands that certain chronic conditions are serious and can be potentially life threatening, particularly if ill managed or misunderstood. Parents have a duty to inform the school of such a condition and provide the necessary medical equipment to respond to emergencies
C. Faithlegg N.S has clear guidance on the administration and storage of medication and necessary equipment at school
D. Staff understand the common chronic health conditions that affect students at this school. Staff receive appropriate training on chronic conditions and what to do in an emergency
Statement A
Faithlegg N.S ensures that the whole school environment is inclusive and favourable to students with a chronic condition. This includes the physical environment, as well as social, sporting and educational activities. What we aim to achieve:
Education and Learning
1. Faithlegg N.S ensures that students with chronic conditions can participate fully in all aspects of the curriculum and does its best to provide appropriate adjustments and extra support as needed.
2. If a student is missing a lot of school time, has limited concentration or is frequently tired, all teachers at Faithlegg N.S understand this may be due to a chronic condition.
3. Staff use opportunities such as social, personal and health education lessons to raise awareness of chronic conditions amongst students and to create a positive social environment.
Social Interactions
1. Faithlegg N.S ensures the needs of students with chronic conditions are adequately considered to ensure their involvement in structured and unstructured social activities, during breaks, before and after school.
2. Faithlegg N.S ensures the needs of students with chronic conditions are adequately considered to ensure they have full access to extended school activities such as clubs and school excursions.
3. Staff at Faithlegg N.S are aware of the potential social problems that students with chronic conditions may experience. Staff use this knowledge to prevent and deal with problems in accordance with the school’s anti-bullying and behaviour policies.
Exercise and Physical Activity
1. Faithlegg N.S ensures all teachers and external sports coaches make appropriate adjustments to sports, games and other activities to make physical activity accessible to all students.
2. Faithlegg N.S ensures all teachers and external sports coaches understand that students should not be forced to take part in an activity if they feel unwell.
3. Teachers and external sports coaches are aware of students in their care who have been advised to avoid or to take special precautions with particular activities.
4. Faithlegg N.S ensures all teachers and sports coaches are aware of the potential triggers for a student’s condition(s) when exercising and how to minimise these triggers.
5. Faithlegg N.S ensures all students have the appropriate medication and/or food with them during physical activity and that students take them when needed.
6. Faithlegg N.S ensures all students with chronic conditions are actively encouraged to take part in out-of-school activities and team sports.
School Excursions
1. Risk assessments are carried out by this school prior to any out-of-school visit and chronic conditions are considered during this process. Factors the school considers include: how all students will be able to access the activities proposed, how routine and emergency medication will be stored and administered and where help can be obtained in an emergency.
2. Faithlegg N.S understands that there may be additional medication, equipment or other factors to consider when planning tours.
Statement B
Faithlegg N.S understands that certain chronic conditions are serious and can be potentially life threatening, particularly if ill managed or misunderstood. Parents have a duty to inform the school of such a condition and provide the necessary medical equipment to respond to emergencies.
Faithlegg N.S has a clear communication plan for staff and parents/guardians to ensure the safety of all students with a chronic condition.
What we aim to achieve
1. All parents are informed and reminded about the school’s Managing Chronic Health Conditions’ guidelines:
● By including the guiding statement in the school’s information pack and communicating this to new parents
● When their child is enrolled as a new student
● Via the school website
● Once a year in a school newsletter
2. Parents of children with a chronic condition are informed and reminded about the school’s Managing Chronic Health Conditions guidelines:
● At the start of the school year when communication is sent out about the Healthcare Plan
3. School staff are informed and regularly reminded about the managing Chronic Health Conditions guidelines:
● Through updates with a copy for all staff including substitute/temporary teachers and coaches
● At scheduled chronic conditions training sessions
● Through key principles of the school guidelines being displayed in several prominent staff areas at school
● Through school wide communication about results of the monitoring and evaluation of the guidelines
4. Students are informed and regularly reminded about the managing Chronic Health Conditions’ guidelines in social, personal and health education classes.
5. The responsibilities of school staff and parents of students with a chronic condition are set out in a written format and clearly understood by all parties in the Healthcare Plan and Emergency Plan for each condition.
6. Healthcare Plans are used to create a centralised register of students with medical needs. An identified member of staff has responsibility for the register at Faithlegg N.S.
7. The responsible member of staff follows up with the parents on any further details on a student’s Healthcare Plan required, or if permission for administration of medication is unclear or incomplete.
Ongoing communication and review of Healthcare Plans
1. Parents of students at Faithlegg N.S are regularly reminded to update their child’s Healthcare Plan with changes to things such as their symptoms (getting better or worse) or their medication.
2. Staff at Faithlegg N.S use opportunities such as parent-teacher meetings to check that information held by the school on a student’s condition is accurate and up to date.
3. All students with a Healthcare Plan at Faithlegg N.S have their plan routinely discussed and reviewed at least once a year.
Storage and access to Healthcare Plans
1. Parents of students at Faithlegg N.S are provided with a copy of the student’s current agreed Healthcare Plan.
2. Healthcare Plans are kept in a secure central location at school.
3. All members of staff who work with students have access to the Healthcare Plans of students in their care.
4. Faithlegg N.S ensures that substitute/temporary teachers are made aware of (and have access to) the Healthcare Plans of students in their care.
5. Faithlegg N.S ensures that all staff protect student confidentiality
6. The school seeks permission from parents to allow the Healthcare Plan to be sent ahead to emergency care staff should an emergency happen during school hours or at a school activity outside the normal school day. This permission is included on the Healthcare Plan.
Use of Healthcare Plans
Healthcare Plans are used by the school to:
● Inform the appropriate staff and substitute/temporary teachers about the individual needs of a student with a chronic condition in their care
● Remind students with chronic conditions to take their medication when they need to and if appropriate, remind them to keep their emergency medication with them at all times
● Identify common or important individual triggers for students with chronic conditions at school that bring on symptoms and can cause emergencies. The school uses this information to help reduce the impact of common triggers
Statement C
Faithlegg N.S has clear guidance on the administration and storage of medication and necessary equipment at school.
We understand the importance of medication being taken as prescribed and the need for safe storage of medication at school.
What we aim to achieve
Administration – Emergency Medication
1. All students at this school with chronic conditions have access to their emergency medication at all times
2. Faithlegg N.S understands the importance of medication being taken as prescribed
3. Staff are aware that there is no legal or contractual duty for a member of staff to administer medication or supervise a student taking medication. However, any teacher who is willing and confident to administer medication to a student can do so under controlled guidelines. This teacher will need to have the permission of the Board of management, have written approval of the parents and be fully trained in procedures
4. Parents of students at Faithlegg N.S understand that if their child’s medication changes or is discontinued, they should notify the school immediately in writing to update their child’s Healthcare Plan. The school confirms the changes are incorporated into the plan.
5. Staff or other parents attending tours/off site activities are made aware of any students with chronic conditions on the visit. They will receive information about the type of condition, what to do in an emergency and any other additional support necessary, including any additional medication or equipment needed.
6. If a student misuses medication, either their own or another student’s, their parents are informed as soon as possible. These students are subject to the school’s usual disciplinary procedures.
Safe Storage
1. Emergency medication is readily available at all times during the school day or at off-site activities
2. Staff members know where emergency medication is stored
3. Where healthcare professionals and parents advise the school that the student is not yet able or old enough to self manage and carry their own emergency medication, this student’s teacher knows exactly where and how to access their emergency medication
4. Staff ensures that medication is only accessible to those for whom it is prescribed
Safe Storage – General
1. There is an identified member of staff who ensures the safe storage of medication at school
2. At the beginning of each term, the identified member of staff checks the expiry date for all medication stored at school. This is the responsibility of the parent as well
3. The identified member of staff, along with the parents of students with chronic conditions, ensure that all emergency and non-emergency medication brought in to school is clearly labelled with the student’s name, the name and dose of the medication and the frequency of dose. This includes all medication that students carry themselves
4. Medication is stored in accordance with instructions, paying particular note to temperature
5. Some medication for students at this school may need to be refrigerated. All refrigerated medication is stored in an airtight container and is clearly labelled with the student’s name
6. All medication is sent home with parents at the end of each term. Medication is not stored at school during holiday periods
7. It is the parent’s responsibility to ensure new and in date medication comes into school on the first day of each new term
Safe Disposal
1. Parents at this school are asked to ensure that an adult collects out-of-date medication
2. Sharp boxes are used for the disposal of needles. (A sharp box is a small yellow plastic container with a protective lid that is used for the disposal of used needles). Parents must provide the school with a sharps box. All sharps boxes in the school are stored in a safe place and this can be a locked cupboard when not in use unless alternative safe and secure arrangements are put in place on a case-by-case basis
3. If a sharps box is needed on an off-site or residential visit, a named member of staff is responsible for its safe storage and returns it to school or the student’s parents
4. Collection and disposal of sharps boxes is arranged by parents
5. Used Adrenalin auto injectors (Anapens) must be given to the ambulance crew
Statement D
Staff understand the common chronic health conditions that affect students at this school. Staff receive appropriate training on chronic conditions and what to do in an emergency.
What we aim to achieve
1. All staff in this school are aware of the most common chronic conditions
2. Staff at Faithlegg N.S understand their duty of care to students in the event of an emergency. In an emergency situation, school staff are required under common law duty of care to act like any reasonably prudent parent and look to implement the relevant Emergency Plan
3. The staff who work with students who have a chronic condition at Faithlegg N.S receive training and know what to do in an emergency by following the school’s Emergency Plan
4. Action for staff to take in an emergency at this school is displayed in prominent locations for all staff
5. Faithlegg N.S regularly holds training on common chronic conditions. A log of the managing chronic conditions training is kept by the school and reviewed every 12 months to ensure all new staff receive this training
6. All school staff who volunteer or who are contracted to administer medication are provided with training by a healthcare professional. The school keeps a register of staff that have completed the relevant training and records the date when retraining is necessary
Legislation and Guidance
Local authorities, schools and Boards of management are responsible for the health and safety of students in their care.
Pieces of legislation that directly affect managing chronic health conditions guidelines are ‘The Disability Act 2005’ and “Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004’ (EPSEN).
These acts make it unlawful for service providers, including schools, to discriminate against people with disabilities.Other relevant legislation include the ‘Education Act 1998’, ‘The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989’ and the ‘Irish Medicines Board Act 2006’. This section outlines the main points from the relevant legislation.
Disability Act 2005 and the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004
Many students with chronic conditions are protected by the ‘Disability Act 2005’ and ‘EPSEN’, even if they don’t think of themselves as ‘disabled’. Schools responsibilities include:
● Not to treat any student less favourably in any school activities without sustainable justification
● To make reasonable adjustments that cover all activities-this must take into consideration factors such as financial constraints, health and safety requirements and the interests of other students
● To promote disability equality in line with the guidance provided by the ‘EPSEN’
The Education Act 1998
This act makes provision for the education of every person including any person with a disability or a person with any other educational needs. It provides for the role and responsibilities of the principal and teachers.
Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989
This act places duties on employers for the health and safety of their employees and anyone else on their premises. This covers principals and teachers, non-teaching staff, students and visitors.
Irish Medicines Board Act 2006
This act specifies the way that medicines are prescribed, supplied and administered.
Additional guidance
Child Protection Guidelines and Procedures. For primary schools, the revised guidelines are based on Children First, which is the title of the overarching national guidelines for all institutions published by the Department of Education.
Also see:
● Healthy Eating Programme
● The National Children’s Strategy 2000
● Misuse of Drugs Act 2009
● Equal Status Acts 200-2008
● Children Act 2001
This policy document was formulated following consultation with staff and parents and ratified by the Board of Management of Faithlegg N.S during a meeting held
This policy will be reviewed annually
Dear Parent/Guardian
RE: THE HEALTHCARE PLAN
Thank you for informing us of your child’s chronic condition. As part of accepted good practice and with advice from the Department of Children and Family Affairs, relevant voluntary organisations and the School’s Board of Management, our school has established ‘Managing Chronic Health Conditions’ guidelines for use by all staff.
As part of these guidelines, we are asking all parents of students with a chronic condition to help us by completing a school Healthcare Plan for their child. Please complete the plan, with the assistance of your child’s healthcare professional and return it to the school. If you would prefer to meet someone from the school to complete the Healthcare Plan or if you have any questions then please contact us on 051 382415.
Your child’s completed plan will store helpful details about your child’s condition, current medication, triggers, individual symptoms and emergency contact numbers. The plan will help school staff to better understand your child’s individual condition.
Please make sure the plan is regularly checked and updated and the school is kept informed about changes to your child’s condition or medication. This includes any changes to how much medication they need to take and when they need to take it.
I look forward to receiving your child’s Healthcare Plan.
Thank you for your help.
Yours sincerely,
Principal
Healthcare Plan
Date form completed: Date for review:
Healthcare Plan for a Student with a chronic condition at school
1. Student’s Information
Name of School:
Name of Student:
Class:
Date of birth:
Age:
Siblings in the school:
If yes please name:
2. Contact Information
Student’s address:
Family Contact 1
Name:
Phone (day):
Mobile:
Relationship to student:
Family Contact 2
Name:
Phone (day):
Mobile:
Relationship to student:
Contact 3
Name:
Phone (day):
Mobile:
Relationship to student:
GP
Name:
Phone:
Consultant
Name:
Phone:
Condition information for:
3. Details of the student’s conditions
Signs and symptoms of this student’s condition:
Triggers or things that make this student’s condition/s worse:
4. Routine Heathcare requirements
During school hours:
Outside school hours:
5. Regular Medication taken during school hours:
6. Emergency medication-Please fill out details including dosage:
7. Activities-Any special considerations to be aware of?
8. Any other information relating to the student’s health care in school?
9. Name of Hospital Nurse for the student
Name:
Address:
Phone:
*The school may contact the above named for further information or training.
Parental and student agreement (please circle the correct reply)
I agree / I do not agree that the medical information contained in this plan may be shared with individuals involved with my child’s care and education (this includes emergency services). I understand that I must notify the school of any changes in writing.
Signed by parent/guardian:
Print name:
Date:
Permission for emergency medication (please circle correct reply)
In the event of an emergency, I agree / I do not agree with my child receiving medication administered by a staff member or providing treatment as set out in the attached Emergency Plan.
Signed by parent/guardian:
Print name:
Date:
| Emergency Medication Provision School Record Print Name |
| Signature of staff member |
| Any reactions |
| Dose given |
| Medication |
| Student’s name |
| Time |
| Date |
