Chronic illnesses protocol

Pupils with chronic illnesses / long term medical conditions need to be properly supported in school, so they can have full access to education, including school trips and physical education.

This school takes its responsibilities to support pupils with chronic illnesses / long term conditions very seriously and all pupils are encouraged to take a full and active part in all activities of the school, and reasonable adjustments will be made to accommodate this.

Guidance on ‘reasonable adjustments’ can be found in the following documents:

· 2014 EHRC guidance – What Equality Law Means for you as an Education Provider-Schools

· 2014 EHRC – Technical Guidance for Schools

· 2015 EHRC guidance – Reasonable Adjustments for Disabled Pupils

Essential reading – All school staff responsible for the care of pupils with chronic illnesses / long term medical conditions should be familiar with the statutory guidance in the Department of Education’s document ‘Supporting Pupils in School with Medical Conditions’ and implement its recommendations.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Parents are required to:

• Notify the school if their child has a chronic illness or long term medical condition.
• Discuss the care and treatment required with the school nurse, and assess and review the development of an individual Health Care Plan.
• Provide any necessary medication, check expiry dates and provide replacement medication in accordance with the school’s ‘Administration of Medication Protocol’.
• Notify school of any changes in their child’s condition or treatment.
• Inform school of any activities in which their daughter may require additional supervision.
• Agree any specific risk assessment and care plan for their child.
• Keep their child at home when they are acutely unwell and / or infectious.

Staff:

• If an individual Health Care Plan is drawn up, the Lead Nurse and appropriate members of the pastoral team will ensure this provision of care is delivered safely within the school, and approve reasonable adjustments.
• Will have access to this Protocol and guidelines on recognition and management of pupils with specific medical conditions via Firefly.
• Will be notified of pupils with specific medical needs at the start of the academic year and a list of all medical needs can be found on the individual's Sims record (subject to parental signed consent for disclosure of information)
• If a pupil has an Individual Health Care Plan and/or Risk Assessment this will be kept and be able to be accessed on the individual's sims record
• Admissions staff will inform the School Nurse if a pupil with medical needs is joining the school prior to the admission date.
• New staff will be informed of the Chronic Illness / Long Term Conditions Protocol during induction and the above points highlighted.

The School Nurse will:

• Be available to parents to discuss their child’s health needs prior to admission and any ongoing concerns
• Develop the Individual Health Care Plan for pupils with specific medical needs with parents, their child, key members of staff and, where appropriate, other health professionals involved with the pupil’s care.
• Liaise with pupils with specific medical needs, their parents, other health professionals and relevant school staff as necessary.
• Ensure that relevant staff are aware and trained as necessary in recognition and management of pupils with specific medical needs.
• Ensure that up-to-date information on pupils with specific medical needs is easily accessible to relevant staff via their individual record on Sims                                                               
• Promptly notify relevant staff of any newly diagnosed or new pupils, or newly diagnosed pupils with specific medical needs.
• Ensure that relevant staff are notified if certain activities are limited for individual pupils with specific medical needs.
• Encourage and support pupils with specific medical needs, for example with care plans, phased return after illness.

PROCEDURE FOR COLLECTING INFORMATION ABOUT PUPILS WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS

GENERALLY

• When pupils join the school, parents/guardians are required to declare any medical condition their daughter may have on the GDST ‘Pupil Health Assessment Form’ and in the ‘Parent Contract’.
• Parents agree to inform the school of any change in their child’s medical condition 
• Annually parent's are asked to confirm details held on the school’s health records via the SIMS Parent App and review any Individual Health Care Plans.

SCHOOL TRIPS/RESIDENTIAL VISITS

Refer also to the Administration of Medicines Protocol

Educational trips and visits must be planned to ensure that pupils with chronic illnesses / long term conditions can participate as fully as possible, wherever practicable. This may require individualised, reasonable adjustments to be made to ensure the pupils can attend the trip or visit, safely, e.g. alternative venues or activities may need to be considered from those usually used.

Staff organising / leading school trips / educational visits must liaise with the school nurse in good time to ensure that they are well informed about all the medical conditions of the pupils prior to the trip / visit. The school nurse is able to check which pupils are participating in school trips / educational visits using the Evolve system. They should inform the trip organiser / leader about any pupils who have specific medical conditions.

The trip leader is responsible for including the specific medical needs of any pupil in the trip / visit risk assessment. The Evolve system can be used for this. The trip leader can contact colleagues at Trust Office for specific information regarding health insurance for trips.

Pupils and parents must be reminded any necessary prescribed medications must accompany the pupil and that the member of staff in charge of the trip must be informed of the name, dosage and frequency of administration of the medicine.

The school nurse will be available to help group leaders with risk assessments and provide medical details as required.

Please see attachment for guidance on the management of specific chronic illness, namely Epilepsy, Asthma, Diabetes and Allergy & Anaphylaxis;