Medical Matters
The hostel has First Aid facilities to deal with minor problems such as small cuts, colds and headaches. Anything more serious/urgent may require either attending the casualty department at the local hospital or one of the local doctors or dentists. In these events, parents/guardians will be informed as soon as possible. In non urgent cases it is preferable that children consult their own GP or dentist.
Written consent must be given from parents/guardians before care staff can administer medication to young people. The hostel will provide a medical consent form which should be completed, signed and returned to the Officer in Charge. Where young people have an existing medical condition, then parents/guardians must provide hostel staff with relevant information relating to the management of the condition.
Where a young person is prescribed medicine by their doctor, please ensure we receive the medicine in the original container with the pharmacy label showing dosage still attached. Without this label we are not permitted to administer the medication.
Where pupils are to manage their own medication, eg, in the case of asthma, parents/guardians must complete a self-medication consent form. Parents should always notify hostel staff if they wish their child to self medicate with proprietary medicines such as cold cures, cough medicines, over the counter painkillers etc. Paracetamol is the only non-prescribed painkiller allowed to be administered by care staff at the hostel, any other painkiller must be prescribed by a doctor.
Should a young person be off school sick for more than a day, we will inform parents/guardians so that they may make arrangements to take their child home.