First Aid Policy
1. Statement
2. Definitions
3. Aims
4. Responsibility
5. First aid equipment
6. Information on students
7. Procedure – medical conditions
8. Procedure – illness
9. Procedure – accidents/injury
10. Procedure – fluids
11. First aid in physical education
12. Reporting
13. Monitoring
14. Educational visits, outings and off-site activities
1. Statement
1.1 This policy has been authorised by the Principal of Ashbourne College. It is available to parents and students and to all members of College Staff.
This policy has been developed in accordance and complies with relevant government legislation and guidance, including the Independent School Standards, Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. Full list of legislation and guidance.
2. Definitions and terminology
2.1 First Aid means the treatment of minor injuries which do not need treatment by a medical practitioner or nurse as well as treatment of more serious injuries prior to assistance from a medical practitioner or nurse for the purpose of preserving life and minimising the consequences of injury or illness. For the avoidance of doubt, First Aid does not include giving any tablets or medicines, the only exception being giving aspirin in accordance with accepted first aid practice to treat a suspected heart attack.
2.2 First Aiders are members of staff who have completed a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) approved First Aid course and hold a valid certificate of competence in First Aid at Work (FAW) or Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW).
2.3 First Aid Guidance is the First aid at work: Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981: approved code of practice and guidance.
2.4 Appointed Persons are members of staff who are not qualified First Aiders who are responsible for looking after the first aid equipment and facilities and calling the emergency services if required. Appointed persons should not administer first aid.
2.5 Staff means any person employed by the College, volunteers at the College and self-employed people working on the premises.
3. Aims
3.1 To ensure that the College has adequate, safe and effective First Aid provision in order for every student, 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.
3.2 To ensure that all staff and students are aware of the procedures in the event of any illness, accident or injury.
3.3 Nothing in this policy should 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 for the emergency services in the event of a medical emergency before implementing the terms of this Policy whilst making clear arrangements for liaison with ambulance services on the College site.
4. Responsibility
4.1 The Principal, as the employer, has overall responsibility for ensuring that the College has adequate and appropriate First Aid equipment, facilities and First-Aid personnel and for ensuring that the correct First Aid procedures are followed.
4.2 The Principal delegates to the First Aid Officer (FAO) the day-to-day responsibility for ensuring there are adequate and appropriate First Aid equipment, facilities and appropriately qualified First Aid personnel available to the College. The FAO will carry out an annual First Aid risk assessment and review the College’s First Aid needs to ensure the College’s First Aid provision is adequate.
4.3 The FAO is responsible for the following:
Information
The FAO is responsible for ensuring that all staff and students are aware of, and have access to, this policy.
First aid rooms and first aid equipment
Ensure that there is adequate provision of first aid boxes throughout the premises and that these are properly maintained and stocked. They should be checked at least once per term as should the first aid rooms located in each of the premises. Defibrillators should be checked annually.
Training
First aid officers should receive advanced training and which should be renewed on an annual basis.
All other staff: Upon taking up their position at the College, all staff should be inducted into the provision of first aid.
Newly registered students
Declaration of pre-existing medical conditions: All newly registered students must complete a form disclosing any medical conditions such as: diabetes, epilepsy or asthma. The Head of Administration is responsible for collating this information. Together with the Designated Safeguarding Lead the First Aid Officer must determine whether the College can properly and safely accommodate the student, allowing for any ‘reasonable adjustments’.
Registration with doctors: The Head of Administration must ensure that all students register with a GP.
Trips, outings and other off-site activities
The Head of Administration delegates to the Activities Officer to carry out risk assessments and ensure that all staff who accompany students on trips and outings are equipped with a properly stocked first aid kit, a College mobile telephone together with emergency contacts. Proper risk assessments should be undertaken for each trip include the location of the nearest hospital and any issues arising from the access of emergency vehicles to the site.
Reporting and recording
The FAO must ensure that all accidents are recorded and followed up for analysis and future risk avoidance guidance. Any critical accidents are reported under RIDDOR guidance and regulation.
4.4 The First Aid Officer delegates to the Head of Administration responsibility for collating medical consent forms and important medical information for each student and ensuring the forms and information are accessible to staff as necessary.
4.5 First Aiders: The Principal is responsible for ensuring that the College has the minimum number of First Aid personnel (First Aiders and/or Appointed Persons). The main duties of First Aiders are to give immediate first aid to students, staff or visitors when needed and to ensure that an ambulance or other professional medical help is called when necessary. It is the responsibility of the Compliance Officer to ensure all training and certification is up to date.
5. First aid equipment
5.1 First aid boxes are marked with a white cross on a green background and are stocked in accordance with the suggested First Aid guidance from the Government Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
5.2 First aid boxes are located on every floor at the College and, whenever possible, are near to hand washing facilities:
If first aid boxes are used, they should be taken to the First Aid Officer who will ensure that the first aid box is properly re-stocked. First aid boxes should be fitted with tags/seals to highlight any damage or unauthorised use.
All requirements for the first aid kits are supplied by the First Aid Officer and are regularly stocked at request of individual departments.
5.3 Defibrillators – Each of the College’s premises is equipped with a defibrillator which is serviced annually.
5.4 College minibuses: The College may from time to time hire transport. In such circumstances, the member of staff in charge is responsible for ensuring that there is adequate first aid provision (which may require the member of staff to contact a first aider). The First Aid box should be stocked in accordance with part 2 of schedule 7 of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 (SI 1986/1078).
5.5 Off-site activities: First aid boxes for any off-site activities are kept in the Old Court Place reception.
6. Information on students
The Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) will be responsible for reviewing students’ confidential medical records and providing essential medical information regarding allergies, recent accidents or illnesses, or other medical conditions which may affect a student’s functioning at the College to the Principal, class teachers and First Aiders on a ‘need to know’ basis. Together with the DSL the First Aid Officer must determine whether the College can properly and safely accommodate the student, allowing for any ‘reasonable adjustments’.
This information should be kept confidential but may be disclosed to the relevant professionals if it is necessary to safeguard or promote the welfare of a student or other members of the College community.
7. Procedures for students with medical conditions such as asthma, epilepsy, diabetes
7.1 The information held by the Head of Administration will include a record of students who need to have access to asthma inhalers, epipens, injections or similar and this information should be circulated to teachers and First Aiders. Such information will be flagged up on the College’s Attendance registers. Individual students usually have responsibility for keeping such equipment with them. In other cases, the equipment will be kept, suitably labelled, by the reception team.
7.2 Administration of medicines
The College does not have medically trained personnel and must reach an agreement with parents to administer any medicines on their behalf. For more information please refer to our Administration of Medicines policy.
8.Procedure in the event of illness
If a student is unwell during lessons they should report to the reception team of that building who will assess the situation and decide on the next course of action. If necessary, the receptionist may organise for the student to be taken to one of the medical rooms. Please refer to our Administration of Medicines Policy for further information on this issue.
9. Procedure in the event of an accident or injury
9.1 If an accident occurs, a member of reception staff should be consulted. That person will assess the situation and decide on the next course of action, which may involve calling immediately for an ambulance. Appointed Persons or First Aiders can also be called for if necessary.
9.2 In the event that the First Aider cannot adequately deal with the issue they should arrange appropriate medical treatment without delay.
9.3 Ambulances: If an ambulance is called then the First Aider in charge should make arrangements for the ambulance to have access to the accident site. Arrangements should be made to ensure that any student is accompanied in the ambulance if necessary, or followed to hospital, by a member of staff if it is not possible to contact the parents in time.
10.Procedure in the event of contact with blood or other bodily fluids
10.1 The First Aider should take the following precautions to avoid risk of infection:
10.1.1 cover any cuts and grazes on their own skin with a waterproof dressing;
10.1.2 wear suitable disposable gloves when dealing with blood or other bodily fluids;
10.1.3 use suitable eye protection and a disposable apron where splashing may occur;
10.1.4 use devices such as face shields, where appropriate, when giving mouth to mouth resuscitation;
10.1.5 wash hands after every procedure.
10.2 If the First Aider suspects that they or any other person may have been contaminated with blood and other bodily fluids which are not their own, the following actions should be taken without delay:
10.2.1 wash splashes off skin with soap and running water;
10.2.2 wash splashes out of eyes with tap water or an eye wash bottle;
10.2.3 wash splashes out of nose or mouth with tap water, taking care not to swallow the water;
10.2.4 record details of the contamination;
10.2.5 report the incident to the First Aid Officer and take medical advice if appropriate.
11. First aid in the physical education department
Offsite: When students travel offsite for PE, they will be accompanied by a member of staff and will take first aid equipment. Any incident of first aid treatment must be reported and entered into the Accident book on return to College.
12. Reporting
12.1 The First Aider should complete a record of first aid provision into the Accident book.
12.2 All injuries, accidents and illnesses, however minor, must be reported to reception and they are responsible for ensuring that the accident report book is filled in correctly and that parents and HSE are kept informed as necessary.
12.3 Accident Report Book: All injuries, accidents, illnesses and dangerous occurrences on or off the College site if in connection with the College must be recorded in the accident report book; this will be kept locked in Old Court Place reception. The date, time and place of the event or illness must be noted with the personal details of those involved with a brief description of the nature of the event or illness. Records will be stored for at least three years or if the person injured is a minor (under 18), until they are 21.
12.4 Reporting to parents: In the event of an accident or injury parents must be informed as soon as practicable. The member of staff in charge at the time will decide how and when this information should be communicated, in consultation with the First Aid Officer if necessary.
12.5 Reporting to HSE: The College is legally required under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) to report the following to the HSE (most easily done by calling the Incident Contact Centre (ICC) on 0845 300 99 23):
12.5.1 Accidents involving staff
12.5.2 Accidents involving students or visitors
Accidents where the person is killed or is taken from the site of the accident to hospital and where the accident arises out of or in connection with:
For more information on how and what to report to the HSE, please visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/index.htm. It is also possible to report online via this link.
13. Monitoring
There will be an annual review of reported incidents, which is organised by the First Aid Officer in order to take note of trends and areas of improvement to avoid accidents and deal with illnesses. This will form part of the annual First Aid risk assessment. The information may help identify training or other needs and be useful for investigative or insurance purposes. In addition, the First Aid Officer will undertake a review of all procedures following any major incident to check whether the procedures were sufficiently robust to deal with the major occurrence or whether improvements should be made.
14. Educational visits, outings and off-site activities
For these activities and events at least one member of staff must have up to date first aid training and be supplied with a first aid kit, Ashbourne mobile telephone together with emergency contact numbers. In so far as possible the security of all venues against fire must be verified.