Policy Statement
Catholic education at Immaculate Heart Catholic Primary School has its foundation in partnerships between staff, students, parents, parish and the wider community. These partnerships are essential in order to build and sustain a faith community where life long and life giving education takes place.
Guiding Principles
We at Immaculate Heart Catholic Primary School recognise that the administration of medication is the responsibility of the parent or person with legal responsibility for the student. There will be occasions when a student requires the administration of medication during school hours or school activities.
Procedure for Administration of Medication
When the Principal has agreed, medication will only be administered to students during school hours or school activities when:
it is authorised by the student’s medical practitioner;
the parent or person with the legal responsibility for the student makes a written request to the principal of the school including the instructions for administration of the medication and any special requirements;
a teacher or other adult person on the school staff who volunteers to give medication to the particular student while at school or while involved in a school approved activity is authorised by the principal to do so; and
all medication is in a container labelled by a pharmacist/ dispenser, showing the name of the medication, the “use by” date, the name of the student’s medical practitioner, the name of the student, the dosage and the frequency of administration.
In some cases it may be necessary for the student to keep the medication in their possession (e.g. asthma medication, pancreatic enzyme replacements for cystic fibrosis). Where this is the case, a parent or a person with the legal responsibility for the student should include this instruction in their written advice. Medication which is not labelled shall not be accepted for use. It is the responsibility of the parent or person with the legal responsibility for the student to ensure that the medication:
is clearly labelled as described above;
is not out of date;
is provided in sufficient quantities for the student’s needs;
is collected from the school at the completion of the student’s treatment.
Instructions solely from the parent or person with the legal responsibility for the student without the required labelling on the medication shall not be accepted according to current legislative requirements. All natural / alternative remedies must be administered in accordance with the above.
