Medicine Administration Policy
If a child attending The Man In The Moon requires prescription medication of any kind, their parent/carer must complete a Medicine Administration Form in advance. We will not administer any medication without such prior written consent.
Ideally, children should take their medication before arriving. If this is not possible, children will be encouraged to take personal responsibility for their medication, if appropriate. If children carry their own medication (e.g. asthma inhalers), we will offer to keep the medication safe until it is required. Inhalers must be labelled with the child's name.
We can only administer medication that has been prescribed by a doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmacist. However, if a medicine contains aspirin we can only administer it if it has been prescribed by a doctor. All medicines provided must have the prescription sticker attached which includes the child's name, the date, the type of medicine and the dosage.
A designated crew member will be responsible for administering medication or for witnessing self-administration by the child. The designated person will record receipt of the medication on the Medication Administration Form, will check that the medication is properly labelled, and will ensure that it is stored securely during the session.
Before any medication is given, the designated crew member will:
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Check that we have received written consent.
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Ask another crew member to witness that the correct dosage is given.
When the medication has been administered, the designated crew members must:
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Record all relevant details on the Medicine Administration Form.
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Ask the child's parent/carer to sign the form to acknowledge that the medication has been given.
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When the medication is returned to the child's parent/carer, the designated crew member will record this on the Medicine Administration Form.
If a child refuses to take their medication, crew members will not force them to do so. The child's parent/carer will be notified, and the incident recorded on the Medicine Administration Form.
Certain medications require specialist training before use, e.g. Epi Pens. If a child requires such medication we will arrange appropriate training as soon as possible. Where specialist training is required, only appropriately trained crew members may administer the medication.
A child's parent/carer must complete a new Medicine Administration Form if there are any changes to a child's medication (including change of dosage or frequency).
If a child suffers from a long term medical condition, we will ask the child's parent/carer to provide a medical care plan from their doctor, to clarify exactly what the symptoms and treatment are so that we has a clear statement of the child's medical requirements.
Related policies: Illness and Accident.
Reviewed: 10 May 2022
Review Period: 24 months