Medical and health Provision at Mayfield

Health Provision

Please find important information for parents regarding health provision here.

Sickness Guidance

Mayfield School does not have any facilities to look after children who are sick.

If a child is unwell during the school day, school will ask the parent/carer to collect their child. It is the responsibility of the parent/carer to collect their child promptly.

Please ensure that the school has two emergency contact numbers and that you can be contacted at any time during the school day.

Parents/carers might be asked to collect children from school or keep them at home for the following reasons:

• If a child has a temperature of 38°C or above. Paracetamol, made available by the parent for their child, may be given whilst they await collection.
• Children who have an active cold with obvious symptoms, who look unwell and are unable to participate in school activities.
• Children who have diarrhoea and/or vomiting. Parents are asked to keep their child home until 48 hours after the last episode of vomiting or diarrhoea. You will be notified if there is an outbreak within the classroom.
• If a child has an infection which can spread easily – eg impetigo, suspected Covid-19.
• Following post-operative anaesthetic or sedation eg dental extraction, day case; your child should stay at home for 24 hours.
• If a child has an acute asthma episode & they are need close monitoring for additional inhalers.
• If a child has had seizure activity near to the end of a school day and staff have given rescue medication, as it is unsafe for your child to travel on the school’s transport.

Returning to school following a hospital admission

If your child has been admitted to hospital for surgery or illness, please check with the therapy/medical team for advice as some operations will need longer recovery periods than others. School will take advice from the Community Children’s Nurse on whether a pupil is fit and ready to return to school and whether a phased return to school is appropriate.

Physiotherapy

For those children who are assessed as needing physiotherapy intervention this provision is delivered by NHS Physiotherapy staff visiting the school in a designated physiotherapy base. If equipment is required, it is specifically purchased through the Primary Care Trust and every child who needs it has their own equipment in school. This might be for example, a specialist chair and tray to support learning in class and/or a standing frame to practice weight bearing and standing. Some children may also have walking frames and specialist footwear as needed. Teachers and support staff in class are instructed in how to position children by the Physiotherapist or their assistant and they are then responsible for implementing any physiotherapy programmes. Our school has, as required, appropriate moving and handling equipment such as a range of hoists to facilitate the safe moving and handling of children. As required, staff physically assisting children with transfers are trained in the safe moving and handling of children with special needs.

Communication and Speech and Language Therapy (SALT)

For those children who are assessed as needing speech and language intervention, this provision is delivered in school. Following a referral, Speech and Language Therapists will assess individual children and will write targets for them that are specific to their needs. Communication aids are developed for those children who are non-verbal. As appropriate, a range of systems of communication such as Makaton and Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) are used, and at every opportunity children are encouraged to be as independent as possible with their communication. NHS Speech and Language Therapists also support individual children experiencing difficulties with their eating and drinking (dysphagia).

Special School Nurse

A Special School Nurse is jointly funded by the local NHS Trust to monitor all children in the school. Parents/carers may receive direct contact by the school nurse to discuss their child’s needs. Clinics may be held on the school site. Additional NHS care professional may also visit school site to support pupils with specific medical needs.

Medical Clinics

Many parents/carers of children with ongoing medical needs may choose to have their child’s medical needs monitored and reviewed by a paediatrician from the Community Health Care Trust. The paediatrician, or ‘school doctor’ may on occasion hold a clinic at school rather than at hospital, supported by a school nurse. Each pupil can expect to be seen at least once a year and parents/carers are expected to attend. Parents may request an appointment if they are in any way concerned as to their child’s medical condition or general health.

Medication / Illness In School

Children requiring medication during the school day, should have adequate supplies sent into school and these should be in the original labelled bottles / boxes from the pharmacy. A consent form will need to be signed and will require updating on a regular basis if there are any changes to medication. Forms can be obtained from the school office.

Bottles must be securely wrapped to avoid breakages. Parents may need to ask the doctor for an extra prescription so that adequate supplies may be kept in school and for home use.

School cannot use prescribed medication that does not show the name of the child on the prescription label and/or where the use by date has elapsed.

If your child becomes unwell at school, it may be necessary for them to go home. We ask that parents/carers provide the school with emergency contact details for this purpose and make themselves available to collect their child from school. Children may not be allowed onto home school transport by the provider and parents will need to make their own arrangements for collections.

If a child is unwell or has an acute infection, we require that they remain at home as we do not have the facilities to care for sick children within the school away from other children.

Where a parent/carer knows that they are keeping a child at home due to medical reasons we ask parents/carers to cancel their child’s home to school transport and contact us as soon as possible by telephone. When a pupil is absent from school for any reason, we would expect a note explaining the reason for the absence on his/her return to school. School may contact you to discuss your child’s absence.

If your child needs to be taken directly to hospital parents/carers will be notified immediately and arrangements made for ambulance transport. It is vitally important that school has at least two telephone contact numbers through which parents/carers may be contacted in the event of an emergency.

If a child has been sick or has had viral diarrhoea, in line with NHS advice they should remain at home for at least 48 hours to ensure that the infection has cleared.

For any medical concerns parents should contact their own doctor or the school nurse in the first instance.

Hospital Appointments

Pupils sometimes have to attend off site clinics or hospitals for a variety of reasons. If a child has a hospital appointment, parents/carers should let school know as far in advance as possible and keep their child’s time taken off school to an absolute minimum. Pupils are expected to attend school in the morning if they have an afternoon appointment and similarly to attend school in the afternoon following a morning appointment. School will ask for proof of the appointment in advance.

Accidental Injury In School

If a child sustains an accidental injury in school, our nurse/first aiders will advise us on the best course of action to take. If the injury is minor, parents/carers will be informed by telephone or by a letter/first aid slip being sent home. If the injury is more serious parents will be informed immediately by telephone. Should the child need to be taken to hospital, arrangements will be made, and parents/carers will be informed.

Continence Management Materials

Any child using incontinence padding or nappies and requiring toileting during the school day will need a supply of nappies wipes kept in school provided by the parents/carers. These should be sent into school each week.