The Board of Governors and staff of St. Brigid’s Primary School wish to ensure that pupils with medication needs receive appropriate care and support at school.

Please note that parents should keep their children at home if acutely unwell or infectious.

NON-PRESCRIBED MEDICATION

Staff will not usually give a non-prescribed medicine to a child. This, however, does not prevent a parent/carer from making an arrangement with the school through the Principal to visit the school to administer non-prescribed medication where needed during a school day.

PRESCRIBED MEDICATION
• The Principal will accept responsibility in principle for members of the school staff giving or supervising pupils taking prescribed medication during the school day where those members of staff have volunteered to do so.
• Parents are responsible for providing the Principal with comprehensive information regarding
a pupil’s condition and medication.
• Prescribed medication will not be accepted in school without completing - medical form available from school office.

General information relating to Prescribed Medication
• Only reasonable quantities of medication should be supplied to the school 
• Each item of medication must be delivered to the Principal or Class Teacher in normal circumstances by the parent, in a secure and labelled container as originally dispensed.
• Each item of medication must be clearly labelled with the following information:
• Pupil’s Name
• Name of medication
• Dosage
• Frequency of administration
• Date of dispensing
• Storage requirements (if important)
• Expiry date
• The school will not accept items of medication in unlabeled containers.
• Medication will be kept in a secure place, out of the reach of pupils. All medication to be administered in school will be kept in the Main Office.
• If children refuse to take medicines, staff will not force them to do so, and will inform the parents of the refusal, as a matter of urgency, on the same day. If a refusal to take medicines results in an emergency, the school’s emergency procedures will be followed.

Where administration of medication is requested, relevant form(s) must be completed in advance by parents/carers and presented to the Principal (with consultation as necessary). Where a child’s Medication Plan or the administration of prescribed medication comes to an end or needs to change, it is the responsibility of the parent(s) to notify the school in writing.