Medical Issues
Medication Policy
The Department of Education has a Student Health Care policy regarding the administration of medication to students while in the care of the school. Medication can only be administered by staff if appropriate documentation has been completed by parents/carers.
- Short term use of medication (up to two weeks)
For short term use of medication, such as a course of antibiotics, our school requires the completion of an Administration of Medication form by following the link. These forms can also be obtained from the school office and can be posted out on request. (Phone: 92376700). Note: The medication must be clearly labelled with the child's name and provided in the pharmacy or manufacturer labelled packaging. The form must be signed and dated by a parent or carer and provided to the school with the medication.
- Long term use of medication
If you require the school to administer medication to your child for a period of more than two weeks, and if you have not already done so, you will need to complete a Student Health Care Summary for your child. You may also need to complete an additional Health Care Management/Emergency Response Plan for your child's particular health need. In most instances, this documentation will have been completed when you enrolled your child or as part of the school's process for updating student health care records. If this is not the case, please contact the School Office as soon as possible.
- Student Health Care Documentation
The Department of Education in conjunction with Health Care Professionals have standardised the documentation used in schools to optimise the information recorded for health issues. If your child has a medical condition listed below the appropriate form must be completed and recorded on the student's enrolment details in the Office.
Accidents
In the case of an accident occurring at school it is the responsibility of the teacher on duty to deal with the situation, make a judgement on moving the child and getting the child to the medical room.
In minor cases the child may be treated at school, and when recovered, return to class. If there is doubt in the mind of the duty teacher of the severity of the accident the administration will be informed with the intention of contacting the parents.
Where the accident is severe and parents or emergency numbers cannot be contacted, an ambulance will be called to take the child to hospital.
In all cases involving eye damage, the parents will be contacted immediately so that the child can be taken to the doctors.
If the accident is not severe but may require stitching, and parents or emergency numbers cannot be contacted, one of the administrative team will take the child to a doctor or to the nearest medical centre.
Sickness
The school does not have adequate facilities for children who take ill during the day. The school must therefore have current information so that contacting parents is done quickly and efficiently.
We would like to remind you that close contact between children at school puts them at risk of contacting contagious diseases. During the enrolment process you will be asked to show your child’s immunization record as required by the Education Department. During a measles epidemic, the School Principal has the right to exclude non-immunised children from school for 14 days.
Lice Policy
The child/children with nits are excluded from school until parents have organised appropriate treatment. All children in the class are issued with a Head Lice Prevention/Treatment Note to parents. There is no systematic checking of children’s hair at our school as both the Health and Education Department regard this matter as a parent responsibility.
Community Nurse
A Community Nurse visits the school. Their main role is monitoring the health status of children as per the Contract arrangements made in 1998.
With parental consent a school based community nurse will carry out a full health appraisal for all 5 year olds, some time during the course of each year. These will include:
- a. Vision screening test.
- b. Hearing screening test.
- c. Assessment of co-ordination, posture and gait.
- d. Examination of skin and teeth.
- e. Measure of height and weight.
- f. Speech and pencil grip.
If any concerns are identified during the course of the appraisal parents are notified. Appropriate action is then jointly decided and acted upon through arranging a visit to the family doctor, community & child health medical officer, child development team or other appropriate agency.
Parents are encouraged to contact the community nurse at any time during school years, to discuss any concerns regarding their child’s health.
Dental therapy
The Community Dental Service provides free general and preventive dental care for all enrolled students from Pre-Primary to Year 11. High school students can continue to attend the same Dental Therapy Centre as attended during primary school, or if more convenient, transfer to another Centre. If your child is not enrolled, it’s not too late to enrol now. Contact the Leeming Dental Therapy Centre for an enrolment form and details of locations of alternative clinics in the area.
The Centre is situated at the Leeming Primary School in Meharry Road Leeming. The phone number is 93323194 . Clinic hours are Monday to Friday 8.30am to noon, and 12.45 to 4.30pm.
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