First Aid Policy Agreed: September 2014 Revised: May 2015
Bickley Primary School FIRST AID POLICY Introduction Employers must provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and qualified First Aid Personnel. First aid should be seen as part of an employer s wider management of Health and Safety at work. A risk assessment helps to identify both hazards associated with the work and risks to the health and safety of staff, pupils and visitors. Duties First-aiders must complete a training course approved by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). At Bickley Primary School, the main duties of a first aider are to: Give immediate help to casualties with common injuries or illnesses and those arising from specific hazards at school; When necessary, ensure that an ambulance or other professional medical help is called. The Regulations do not require employers to provide first aid for anyone other than employees but the HSE and DfE strongly recommend that such a service should be provided in schools. Employers are required to take into account the numbers on the premises when assessing their first aid provision. The minimum first aid provision is: A suitable stocked first-aid container; Appropriate numbers of first-aiders/appointed person to take charge of first aid arrangements; Information for employees on first aid arrangements including the location of equipment and facilities; This minimum provision is supplemented with a risk assessment which determines any additional provision that is required by our school. First aid provision must be available at all times while people are on school premises, and also off the premises whilst on school visits. Reassessment of First Aid Provision The governing body and/or head teacher will regularly review the school s first aid needs (at least annually), and particularly after any changes, to ensure the provision is adequate. Qualifications and Training A first aider must hold a valid certificate of competence, issued by an organisation whose training and qualifications are approved by the HSE; First Aid At Work certificates are valid for three years. The school will arrange refresher training and re-testing of competence before certificates expire. (If a certificate expires, the individual will have to undertake another full course of training to become a first aider; the HSE have now allowed a 1 month extension within which a requalification course can be undertaken) The school can arrange for first aiders to attend a refresher course up to three months before the expiry date of their certificate. The new certificate takes effect from the date of expiry. Schools will keep a record of first aiders and certification dates. Minor cuts, grazes and bumps These can be dealt with by any member of staff using the contents from the first aid containers. Lunch & break provision of first aid At break and lunch, children can be treated using wipes and plasters using the first aid container outside by the staff supervising the children. To ensure privacy for children, first aid
that needs to be administered in sensitive areas or requires clothes to be removed should be done in the medical room following the guidance in our Safeguarding and Child Protection policy. Information regarding injuries and first aid administered should be passed on to parents and carers using the appropriate form for Reception children. Injuries to the head or face All injuries to the head must be dealt with in the first aid room, by staff supervising the children at break or lunch, following advice from the HSE (via St John Ambulance) applying a cool pad, or ice pack wrapped in a suitable cloth),that has been collected from the fridge in the main office, to the injured area. (Ice packs MUST only be administered for a maximum of 10 minutes). Injuries to the face may be treated with a cold pad from the freezer, but this should be applied by the child themselves so that they can monitor the temperature. The injury must be recorded in the injury folder kept in the first aid room and reported to parents (children of all ages), via the Head Injury form contained within the said folder. A bumped head letter should be sent out to parents on yellow paper and the child should wear a bumped head sticker so that other members of staff can monitor the child. Dealing with bodily fluids If a child has been sick or had a toilet accident, the member of staff dealing with it should wear the suitable protective clothing apron & gloves. The member of staff is responsible for assisting the child in being cleaned up if necessary, following the guidance in our Safeguarding and Child Protection policy. The office staff will contact the parents for the child to be collected. The area where the child has been sick should be cordoned off and the caretaker will assist in the clearing up. Children with additional medical needs All staff know which children require additional medical assistance a record of which is kept in the office. The child s care plan must be followed in all incidences. Primary Schools 1 qualified first aider + 2 to 4 appointed persons. Our qualified first aiders are: (First Aid at Work) Rosie Barnes (Emergency First Aid at Work) Emma Warren (Emergency First Aid at Work) Appointed Persons are: (Emergency First Aid at Work) Lesley Kimberley Sally Glynn Debbie Lowe Helen Page Early Years Foundation Stage 3 qualified first aider (paediatric first aid) Leanne Suttle, Sophie Holmes & Michaela Higham Responsibilities Miss Rosie Barnes and Miss Emma Warren are the qualified first aiders at work. The headteacher is responsible for ensuring first aid cover in the school at all times. If neither qualified first aiders are on site, Miss Barnes or Miss Warren will ensure that the appointed firstaiders are available to cover if required. Mrs Lesley Kimberley is responsible for keeping the equipment and kit well stocked. Miss Jen Mayhew (headteacher & INSET) is responsible for checking that certificates are valid and planning future training where there are changes in personnel or when they are due for renewal.
In accordance with first aid training it is vital that in any emergency the first qualified first aider on the scene and to touch the patient is the one in overall control of the situation. Other first aiders must not get involved unless specifically asked to by the first aider in control. No other member of staff including the head, senior leadership or governors should take control of the situation. All managers must take advice from the first aider in control. In the case of a major incident, the critical incident plan and/or emergency evacuation plan would come into effect. Dental Emergencies The British Dental Association has issued the guidance in Appendix B, which may assist schools in administering first aid to a pupil who has had a tooth knocked out during the day. Other Guidance available: DfE Guidance on First Aid for Schools is also available as a good practice guide and is kept in the office. APPENDIX A First Aid Equipment The school will provide the correct equipment and facilities at all times. Equipment must be clearly labelled and easily accessible. Introduction All first aid containers must be marked with a white cross on a green background. These are located in the office and staffroom. Contents of a First Aid Container There is no mandatory list of items for a first aid container. However, the HSE recommend that, where there is no special risk identified, a minimum provision of first aid items would be: A leaflet giving general advice on first aid; 20 individually wrapped sterile wipes 20 individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings (plasters) (assorted sizes); Two sterile eye pads; Four individually wrapped triangular bandages (preferably sterile); Six safety pins; Six medium sized (approximately 12cm x 18cm) individually wrapped un-medicated wound dressings; Disposable gloves Yellow clinical waste bags (to be disposed of in the sanitary bins) Resuscitation aid Equivalent or additional items are acceptable. Boxes such as these will be available in every classroom and working rooms in the school (eg halls). Mrs Kimberley should be responsible for ensuring adequate supply and regular restocking of the first aid box. Supplies to be date stamped as received (equipment has a five year shelf life). Each class must submit a request form at the beginning of each half term for replacement supplies. Travelling First-Aid Containers Before undertaking any off-site activities, the head teacher should assess what level of first-aid provision is needed. The HSE recommend that, where there is no special risk identified, a minimum stock of first aid items for travelling first aid containers is: A leaflet giving general advice on first aid; Six individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings (plasters); One large sterile un-medicated wound dressing approximately 18cm x 18 cm; Two triangular bandages; Two safety pins; 20 individually wrapped sterile wipes;
Disposable gloves. Plasters for minor cuts where blood is flowing Resuscitation aid. Equivalent or additional items are acceptable. Additional items may be necessary for specialised activities and residential visits. Personal Hygiene All staff should take precautions to avoid cross infection and must follow basic hygiene procedures. Staff should have access to disposable gloves and hand washing facilities, and should take care when dealing with blood or other body fluids and safe disposal of soiled dressings. Soiled dressings, wipes etc used to clean flowing blood, faeces or vomit, should be disposed of using the yellow clinical waste bags. These bags have to be incinerated, therefore, use the sanitary bins. APPENDIX B DENTAL EMERGENCIES By the age of 14, one child in four will have broken or knocked out a front tooth. Children can damage their teeth in many different ways through accidents in and around the home, through playing contact sports, playground accidents or violence. The British Dental Association has issued the following guidance which may assist schools in administering first aid to a pupil who has had a tooth knocked out during the school day. Can knocked out teeth be put back? Yes, with a good chance of success. So if a tooth is knocked out, do not panic but act quickly: Contact the parents immediately. Make sure it is a second tooth: The front teeth come through between the ages of six and nine. Do not try to replace baby teeth. Find the tooth: Hold the tooth by the crown (the part usually visible in the mouth) not by the root (the part of the tooth inside the gum). Don t scrub the tooth or place it in disinfectant. If the tooth is clean: Hold it by the crown and gently push it back into its socket, making sure that it is the right way round. This is usually painless if done immediately after the accident. If the tooth is dirty: Rinse in milk or cold water before gently pushing it back into place. Hold the tooth in place: Bite on a handkerchief and go to the dentist immediately for advice. If you can t put the tooth back in: Place it in a cup of milk: when milk is not available, place the tooth in the mouth between the cheeks and gums. In applying this advice: Don t let the tooth become dry; Don t place the tooth in disinfectant; Get the pupil to their dentist immediately. If this isn t possible, phone casualty and ask which is the nearest casualty department with a dentist on call. Please note the advice contained will reduce the risk of cross infection at work. When dealing with any body fluids, disposable gloves must be worn at all times. Any soiled dressings must be disposed of properly. Revised and reviewed May 2015 Signed: Chair of the Governing Body Ms Jasmine Berry