Medication and Health Care

At the beginning of each year we ask parents to complete an Emergency Contact Form which gives us details of how to contact you or a family member or friend if your child is ill. It is important that you inform us of any changes of address, telephone number etc. in writing, in the event that we should need to contact you.

Minor injuries

School will only deal with minor cuts and bruises, these will be cleaned and a plaster applied. If your child is injured or becomes unwell during the school day you or the emergency contact, you have provided will always be contacted and you may be advised to collect your child from school.

If Your Child Becomes Unwell

If your child becomes ill during school time we will make every attempt to contact you or your emergency contact.  If a serious incident occurs, it will be dealt with immediately and this may mean that we take action before we are able to contact you.  The safety and good health of your child will always be our main concern.

Administering Medication

National Guidance on the Administration of Medicines in Schools has been issued by the Scottish Government.

CLICK HERE – Medication Guidance

This guidance is based on a number of common principles that will be consistently applied when identifying, supporting and reviewing the healthcare needs of children and young people in Highland schools to enable them to make the most of their learning.

Under Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, all children have a right to the highest attainable standard of health and to health care services that help them attain this. Article 7 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities states that children with disabilities have the right to express their views freely on all matters affecting them. The arrangements for each individual will therefore take account of the health professionals’ advice, the pupil’s views and, where appropriate, their parent’s views.

NHS Highland, Highland Council and school staff will work collaboratively to ensure that pupils receive the service they need in the way most appropriate to their personal circumstances.

We will work with pupils and parents/carers to support the healthcare in our school, making reasonable adjustments that children and young people with healthcare needs might need and require.

Where appropriate, we will make arrangements for staff providing healthcare to pupils to receive appropriate training from a health professional, or other accredited source in the care they are providing.

Assistance with intimate care may be needed by children in any school and this will be provided if required to support these needs quickly and with respect for children’s privacy, dignity and rights.

If your child requires medication, please note that this will only be administered by staff when there is clear written guidance from a parent/carer, providing:

• The name of the medicine, the quantity of the medicine to be given, the time it has to be given.

• As far as possible prescriptive medication should be given at home by parents/carers. If it is required to be given in school, the medication should be unopen, clearly marked with the directions from the pharmacist and administered as part of an agreed medical protocol.

Please contact the school office avoch.primary@highland.gov.uk to arrange the completion of relevant paperwork before medication's can be issued.  Please do not put medication in children's school bags.