First Aid

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Statement of intent

GEM School Hereford is committed to providing emergency first aid provision in order to deal with accidents and incidents affecting staff, young people and visitors. The arranGEMents within this policy are based on the results of a suitable and sufficient risk assessment carried out by the school in regard to all staff, young people and visitors.

The school will take every reasonable precaution to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all staff, young people and visitors.
This policy aims to:

• Ensure that the school has adequate, safe and effective first aid provision for every young person, member of staff and visitor to be well looked after in the event of any illness, accident or injury, no matter how major or minor.
• Ensure that staff and young people are aware of the procedures in the event of any illness, accident or injury.
• Ensure that medicines are only administered at the school when express permission has been granted for this.
• Ensure that all medicines are appropriately stored.
• Promote effective infection control.

Nothing in this policy will affect the ability of any person to contact the emergency services in the event of a medical emergency. For the avoidance of doubt, staff should dial 999 in the event of a medical emergency before implementing the terms of this policy and make clear arranGEMents for liaison with ambulance services on the school site.

Legal framework

This policy has due regard to legislation and statutory guidance, including, but not limited to, the following:

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974
• The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981
• The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986
• The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013
• DfE (2017) ‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions’
• DfE (2022) ‘First aid in schools, early years and further education’
• DfE (2023) ‘Early years foundation stage (EYFS) statutory framework’
• DfE (2023) ‘Automated external defibrillators (AEDs): a guide for maintained schools and academies’

The policy is implemented in conjunction with the following school policies:

• Administering Medication Policy
• Allergen and Anaphylaxis Policy
• Behaviour Policy
• Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy
• Educational Visits and School Trips Policy
• Health and Safety Policy
• Infection Control Policy
• Lone Worker Policy
• Records Management Policy
• Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) Policy
• Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions Policy

Roles and responsibilities

The board of decorators and the governing board is responsible for:

• The overarching development and implementation of this policy and all corresponding procedures.
• Ensuring that the relevant risk assessments, and assessments of the first aid needs of the school specifically, have been conducted.
• Ensuring that there is a sufficient number of appointed first aiders within the school based upon these assessments.
• Ensuring that there are procedures and arranGEMents in place for first aid during off-site or out-of-hours activities, e.g. educational visits or parents’ evenings.
• Ensuring that insurance arranGEMents provide full cover for any potential claims arising from actions of staff acting within the scope of their employment.
• Ensuring that appropriate and sufficient first aid training is provided for staff and ensuring that processes are in place to validate that staff who have undertaken training have sufficient understanding, confidence and expertise in carrying out first aid duties.
• Ensuring that adequate equipment and facilities are provided for the school site.
• Ensuring that first aid provision for staff does not fall below the required standard and that provision for pupils and others complies with the relevant legislation and guidance.
• Ensuring that the school has:
• What to do in an emergency.
• An appointed person to take charge of first-aid arranGEMents.
• A suitably stocked first-aid kit.

The headteacher is responsible for:

• The day-to-day development and implementation of this policy and its related procedures.
• Ensuring that all staff and parents are made aware of the school’s policy and arranGEMents regarding first aid.
• Ensuring that all staff are aware of the locations of first aid equipment and how it can be accessed, particularly in the case of an emergency.
• Ensuring that all young people and staff are aware of the identities of the school first aiders and how to contact them if necessary.

Staff are responsible for:

• Ensuring that they have sufficient awareness of this policy and the outlined procedures, including making sure that they know who to contact in the event of any illness, accident or injury.
• Securing the welfare of the young people at school.
• Making young people aware of the procedures to follow in the event of illness, accident or injury.

First aid staff are responsible for:

• Completing and renewing training as dictated by the board of directors and governing board.
• Ensuring that they are comfortable and confident in administering first aid.
• Ensuring that they are fully aware of the content of this policy and any procedures for administering first aid, including emergency procedures.
• Keeping up to date with government guidance relating to first aid in schools.

The appointed person is responsible for:

• Overseeing the school’s first-aid arranGEMents.
• Taking charge when someone is injured or becomes ill.
• Looking after the first-aid equipment, e.g. restocking the first aid container.
• Ensuring that an ambulance or other professional medical help is summoned when appropriate.
• Calling the emergency services where necessary.
• Maintaining injury and illness records as required.
• Undertaking an appointed person’s course, emergency first aid training, first aid at work, and refresher training where appropriate, to ensure they have knowledge of:
• What to do in an emergency.
• How to assess and monitor a casualty.
• First aid for the unconscious casualty.
• First aid for someone who is having a seizure.
• Maintaining injury and illness records as required.
• Paediatric first aid.

First aid provision

The school will routinely re-evaluate its first aid arranGEMents through a risk assessment, at least annually, to ensure that these arranGEMents continue to be appropriate for hazards and risks on the school premises, the size of the school, the needs of any vulnerable individuals onsite, and the nature and distribution of young people and staff throughout the school.

The school will have suitably stocked first aid boxes in line with the assessment of needs. Where there is no special risk identified in the assessment of needs, the school will maintain the following minimum provision of first aid items:

• A leaflet giving general advice on first aid
• 20 individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings, of assorted sizes
• 2 sterile eye pads
• 2 individually wrapped triangular bandages, preferably sterile
• 6 safety pins
• 6 medium-sized individually wrapped sterile unmedicated wound dressings
• 2 large-sized individually wrapped sterile unmedicated wound dressings
• 3 pairs of disposable gloves

All first aid containers will be identified by a white cross on a green background.

The appointed person will routinely examine the contents of first aid boxes, including any mobile first aid boxes for offsite use – these will be frequently checked and restocked as soon as possible after use. Items will be safely discarded after the expiry date has passed.

First aid boxes are in the following areas:

The school office First aiders and appointed persons

The main duties of first aiders will be to administer immediate first aid to young people, staff or visitors, and to ensure that an ambulance or other professional medical help is called when necessary.

The school will ensure that all first aiders hold a valid certificate of competence, issued by a HSE-approved organisation, and that refresher training and retesting of competence is arranged for first aiders within the school before certificates expire.

The school will be mindful that many standard first aid at work training courses do not include resuscitation procedures for children and will consequently ensure that appropriate training is secured for first-aid personnel where this has not already been obtained.

First aiders will ensure that their first aid certificates are kept up to date through liaison with the SBM.

First aid notices will be clearly displayed throughout the school with information on the names and locations of first aiders to ensure that young people and staff know who they must contact in the event of illness or injury.

The current first aid appointed person(s) are:

Rachel Ballance - On site Mon-Fri - Qualified 5 January 2024
Gemma Jones - On site Mon-Fri - Qualified 5 January 2024
Kerry Dallow - On site Mon-Thurs - Qualified 5 January 2024
Kate Bishop - On site Mon-Weds- Qualified 5 January 2024
Sarah Philp - On site Mon-Weds- Qualified September 2024
Michelle Jones - On site Mon-Fri - Qualified 5 January 2024
Sandie Stephens - On site Weds-Thurs - Qualified 5 January 2024

The school will ensure that there is always a sufficient number of first-aid personnel available on site at all times to provide adequate cover to all areas of the school.

All staff members will be made aware that agreeing to become a first aider for the school is strictly on a voluntary basis and that they should never feel pressured to take on this role.

When selecting first aiders, the school will follow the criteria laid out in government guidance, considering the individual’s:

• Reliability and communication skills.
• Aptitude and ability to absorb new knowledge and learn new skills.
• Ability to cope with stressful and physically demanding emergency procedures.
• Availability to respond immediately to an emergency.

Automated external defibrillators (AEDs)

The school is looking to procure an AED through the NHS Supply Chain. The nearest AED’s to the school are:

Individuals will follow the step-by-step instructions displayed on the device. A general awareness briefing session, to promote the use of AEDs, will be provided to staff on their First Aid training course which will be refreshed every two years.

Accommodation

The school’s first aid room will be suitable to use as and when it is needed, and any additional medical accommodation will be available in accordance with the school’s first aid needs assessment.

The first aid room will be used to enable the medical examination and treatment of young people and for the short-term care of sick or injured young people. The first aid room includes a wash basin and is situated near a toilet.

The first aid room will not be used for teaching purposes.

The first aid room will:

• Be large enough to hold an examination or medical couch.
• Have washable surfaces and adequate heating, ventilation and lighting.
• Be kept clean, tidy, accessible and available for use at all times when employees are at work.
• Have a sink with hot and cold running water.
• Be positioned as near as possible to a point of access for transport to hospital.
• Display a notice on the door which advises the names, locations and, if appropriate, the contact details of first aiders.

Emergency procedures

If an incident, illness or injury occurs, the member of staff in charge will assess the situation and decide on the appropriate course of action, which may involve calling for an ambulance immediately or calling for a first aider.

If called, a first aider will assess the situation and take charge of first aider administration. If the first aider does not consider that they can adequately deal with the presenting condition by the administration of first aid, then they will arrange for the injured person to access appropriate medical treatment without delay.

Where an initial assessment by the first aider indicates a moderate to serious injury has been sustained, or the individual has become seriously unwell, a responding staff member will call 999 immediately.

Where necessary, a trained staff member will administer emergency help and first aid to all injured persons. The purpose of this is to keep the victim alive and, if possible, comfortable, before professional medical help arrives. In some situations, immediate action can prevent the accident from becoming increasingly serious, or from involving more victims. Where the seriously injured or unwell individual is a pupil, the following process will be followed:

• A responding staff member calls 999 immediately and follows the instructions of the operator – this may include the administering of emergency first aid.
• Where an ambulance is required, a staff member accompanies the young person in the ambulance and calls the pupil’s parent as soon as possible to inform them of the course of action taken. The staff member remains with the young people at the hospital until a parent arrives.
• Where an ambulance is not required, but medical attention is needed, the young person is taken to a hospital or doctor in a staff car, accompanied by at least two staff members – one to drive the car, and one who is a first aider, to sit with the young person in the back seat and attend to their medical needs. The young person’s parent is called as soon as possible to inform them that this course of action has been taken, and at least one of the staff members remains with the young person at the hospital or doctor’s office until a parent arrives.
• The school will ensure that no further injury can result from any incidents that occur, either by making the scene of the incident safe, or, if they are fit to be moved, by removing injured persons from the scene.
• Responding staff members will see to any young people who may have witnessed the incident or its aftermath and who may be worried or traumatised, despite not being directly involved. These young people will be escorted from the scene of the incident and comforted. Younger or more vulnerable members of the school community may need parental support to be called immediately.

Once the above action has been taken, details of the incident will be reported promptly to:

• The headteacher.
• The parents of the victim(s).

The school is aware that responding to an incident can be stressful for the first aider, and that following an incident, the first aider may require support. This may take the form of a debrief from any ambulance crew on scene, an appointment with their GP, or mental health support from external helplines and websites located at the bottom of the government page ‘Promoting and supporting mental health and wellbeing in schools and colleges’.

Reporting accidents and record keeping

In the event of incident or injury to a young person, a parent will be informed as soon as practicable. In the event of a serious injury or an incident requiring emergency medical treatment, a member of the GEM team will telephone the young person’s parent as soon as possible. Parents will be informed in writing of any injury to the head, whether minor or major, and be given guidance on the action to take if symptoms develop.

A list of emergency contacts will be kept at in the upstairs office.

The appointed person will ensure that records are kept of any injuries, accidents or illnesses, as well as any first aid treatment that is given – this will include:

• The date, time and place of the incident.
• The name and class of the injured or ill person.
• Details of the injury or illness and what first aid was given.
• Details of what happened to the person immediately afterwards, e.g. whether they were sent home or went back to class.
• The name and signature of the first aider or person dealing with the incident.

The headteacher will ensure that any injury or accident that must be reported to the HSE or LA under RIDDOR obligations is reported in a timely and detailed manner.

All records will be filed and stored in line with the Records Management Policy.

Offsite visits and events

Before undertaking any offsite visits or events, the teacher organising the trip or event will assess the level of first aid provision required by undertaking a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the visit or event and the persons involved.

The school will take a first aid kit on all offsite visits which contains at a minimum:

• A leaflet giving general advice on first aid.
• 6 individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings.
• 1 large sterile unmedicated dressing.
• 2 triangular bandages individually wrapped and preferably sterile.
• 2 safety pins.
• Individually wrapped moist cleansing wipes.
• 2 pairs of disposable gloves.

Additionally, the school will ensure that all large vehicles and minibuses have a first aid box readily available and in good condition which contains:

• 10 antiseptic wipes, foil packed.
• 1 conforming disposable bandage that is not less than 7.5cm wide.
• 2 triangular bandages.
• 1 packet of 24 assorted adhesive dressings.
• 3 large sterile unmedicated ambulance dressings that are not less than 15x20cm.
• 2 sterile eye pads, with attachments.
• 12 assorted safety pins.
• 1 pair of non-rusted blunt-ended scissors.

For more information about the school’s educational visit requirements, please see the Educational Visits and School Trips Policy.

Storage of medication

Medicines will be stored securely and appropriately in accordance with individual product instructions, save where individual young people have been given responsibility for keeping such equipment with them. Medicines will be stored in the original container in which they were dispensed, together with the prescriber’s instructions for administration, and properly labelled, showing the name of the patient, the date of prescription and the date of expiry of the medicine.

Medicine brought in by a young person will be returned to their parents for safe disposal when they are no longer required or have expired.

An emergency supply of medication will be available for young people with medical conditions that require regular medication or potentially lifesaving equipment, e.g. an EpiPen.

Parents will advise the school when a child has a chronic medical condition or severe allergy so that an IHP can be implemented and staff can be trained to deal with any emergency in an appropriate way. Examples of this include epilepsy, diabetes and anaphylaxis. A disclaimer will be signed by the parents n this regard.

Young People will have any medication stored and, where appropriate administered, in accordance with their EHC plans and the school’s Administering Medication Policy.

Illnesses and allergies

When a young person becomes ill during the school day, their parent will be contacted and asked to pick their child up as soon as possible.

A quiet area will be set aside for withdrawal and for the young person to rest while they wait for their parent to pick them up. The young person will be monitored during this time.

Where a young person has an allergy, this will be addressed via the school’s Allergen and Anaphylaxis Policy.

The school will manage any emergencies relating to illnesses and allergies in accordance with the Emergency procedures section of this policy.

Consent

Parents will be asked to complete and sign a medical consent form when their child is admitted to the school, which includes emergency numbers, alongside details of allergies and chronic conditions – these forms will be updated at the start of each school year.

Staff will not act ‘in loco parentis’ in making medical decisions as this has no basis in law. Staff will always aim to act and respond to accidents and illnesses based on what is reasonable under the circumstances and will always act in good faith while having the best interests of the young person in mind – guidelines will be issued to staff in this regard.

Monitoring and review

This policy will be reviewed annually by the board of directors and the governing board, and any changes will be communicated to all members of staff.

Staff will be required to familiarise themselves with this policy as part of their induction programme. Staff will be informed of the arranGEMents that have been made in connection with the provision of first aid, including the location of equipment, facilities and personnel.

The next scheduled review date for this policy is stated on the rubric on the front of this policy.

Maintained by FourOneThree Group