Health, Illness & Emergency

HEALTH, ILLNESS AND EMERGENCY POLICY

First Aid

Under duties set out in the Health and Safety Regulations 1981, the Club recognises its responsibilities in providing adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable suitable first aid to be given at the Club. The First Aid Kit is kept in the same place at all times so all staff are aware and has a two first aid signs above. 

The Club has a designated member of staff responsible for First Aid. This person has an up to date First Aid Certificate. They are responsible for maintaining the correct contents of the First Aid Box and administering basic First Aid when necessary. 

The directors will ensure that there is a fully trained First Aider available at all times during sessions at the Club. The directors will be responsible for enabling the members of staff concerned to receive adequate first aid training.

The First Aid box will be regularly checked to ensure its contents are up to date, in good condition and fulfil the criteria set out in the Health and Safe Regulations 1981.

The First Aid box will be taken on all off site visits and outings. This is the responsibility of the designated First Aider, or where this is not possible, the Playleader.

In the Event of a Major Accident, incident or illnes 

The Club requests that the parents/carers complete and sign the Emergency Medical Treatment Form enabling the staff to give permission for emergency medical treatment for their child in the event of a major accident, incident or illness occurring at the Club.

In the event of such an event, the following procedures will apply:

  • In the first instance, the First Aider will be notified and take responsibility for deciding upon the appropriate action.
  • The First Aider will assess the situation and decide whether the child needs to go straight to hospital or whether they can safely wait for their parent/carer to arrive.
  • If the child needs to go straight to hospital, an ambulance will be called. The parent/carer will also be contacted.       A member of staff will accompany the child to the hospital and will consent to medical treatment being given, so long as the Emergency Medical Treatment Form has been completed and signed.
  • If the child does not need to go straight to hospital but their condition means they should go home, the parent/carer will be contacted and asked to collect their child.       In the meantime, the child will be made as comfortable as possible and kept under close supervision (from this point on the provisions of the Clubs Infectious and Communicable Disease policy will govern the child’s return to the Club).
  • Parents/carers will be made fully aware of the details of any incidents involving their child’s health and safety, and any actions taken by the Club and its staff.
  • All such accidents or incidents will be recorded in detail and logged in the incident record book or the accident record book. Parent/carers will be asked to sign the book to acknowledge the incident or accident and any action taken by the Club and its staff.
  • The Committee and other relevant members of staff should consider whether the accident or incident highlights any actual or potential weaknesses in the Club’s policies or procedures and act accordingly, making suitable adjustments where necessary. If necessary, Ofsted and the Club’s Insurance company would need advising.

 

In the event of a minor accident, incident or illness

  • The First Aider will be notified and take responsibility for deciding upon any appropriate action.
  • If the child does not need hospital treatment and are judged to be able to safely remain at the Club, the First Aider will remove the child from the activities and, if appropriate, treat the injury/illness themselves.
  • If and when the child is feeling sufficiently better, they will be resettled back into the activities, but will be kept under close supervision for the remainder of the session.
  • At the end of the session, the First Aider will fully inform the parent/carers of the incident or accident and any treatment given.
  • If the injury or illness incurred is such that treatment by the First Aider is deemed inappropriate, but does not warrant hospitalisation, the parent/carer will be contacted immediately and asked to collect their child. Until the parent/carer arrives, the child will be kept under close supervision and as comfortable as possible (from this point on the provisions of the Club’s Infectious and Communicable Diseases policy will govern the child’s return to the Club).
  • All such accidents and incidents will be recorded in detail and logged in the incident record book or the accident record book and the parent/carer should sign to acknowledge the incident and any action taken.
  • The Committee or any relevant staff should consider whether the accident or incident highlighted any actual or potential weaknesses in the Club’s policies or procedures and make suitable adjustments if necessary.
  • If a child has a bump on the head the parent/carer will be issued with a bumped head letter. This includes what to look out for and gives details on what to do.

 

Medication

 

If it is necessary for medication to be taken during sessions at the Club, children should be encouraged to take personal responsibility for this, where this is appropriate. Parents/carers and staff should discuss such situations at the earliest possible opportunity and decide together of the best course of action.

Staff may only administer medication to the child if it is prescribed by a GP and if the request to do so is from the child’s parent/carer and is given in writing at the start of the session, stating

frequency and dosage. Parents/carers can make such a request by completing and signing the Administrating Medication Form.

Staff have the right to decline such a request from a parent/carer if they are in any way uncomfortable with this. The Club is likely to decline a request from parents/carers to administer medication where this involves technical knowledge or training.

Procedure for administering medication at the Club

 

Medication will never be given without the prior written request from the parent/carer and written and signed instructions from the child’s GP including frequency, dosage, any potential side effects and any other information. Only medication prescribed by a doctor can be given. The parent/carer must state when the last dosage was given before coming into the Club. Under no circumstances are playworkers to administer the first dose in case the child has a reaction to it. If the parent/carers wish the playworkers to administer a medication not prescribed by the doctor (calpol), then they must state this on the Administering Medication Form.

A member of staff will administer the medication and be responsible for ensuring that:

  • Prior consent is arranged
  • All necessary details are recorded
  • That the medication is properly labelled, kept in the original container and safely stored during the session.The item also needs to be indate. Correct Batch Number.
  • Another member of staff acts as a witness to ensure that the correct dosage is given
  • Both staff members to Sign to agree on amount given, Parent /carer to sign at the end and has seen that what amount and time has been given to their child

If the child refuses to take their medication, staff will not attempt to force them to do so. If and when such a situation occurs, the Committee and the child’s parent/carer will be notified and the incident recorded on the Administering Medication Form.

Where children have their own medication (asthma pumps, epi pens or insulin), the Club recommends that staff hold onto the medication until it is required. Inhalers should always be labelled with the child’s name and in date.

All Administering Medical Forms will be kept and stored in the Medication Record Book.

Sun Protection 

In hot weather, parents/carers are requested to provide their child with sunscreen which has the child’s name on. A store of childrens sunscreen should be kept on the premises and children will be encouraged to wear a hat when playing outside in the sun.

When deemed necessary, staff may apply sunscreen to children who cannot do so themselves, where prior permission has been given by the parent/carers on the Admissions Form.  

In hot weather, staff will encourage children to drink water frequently. Staff should also ensure that shady areas out of the sun are always available to children when playing outside.

 

Closing the centre in an emergency

In very exceptional circumstances, the Club may need to be closed at very short notice to due to an unexpected emergency. Such incidents are:

  • Serious weather conditions (combined with heating system failure)
  • Burst water pipes
  • Discovery of dangerous structural damage
  • Fire or bomb scare
  • Death of a member of staff
  • Serious assault on a staff member by the public
  • Serious accident or illness
  • School closure due to unforeseen circumstances  

In such circumstances, the Committee and staff will ensure that all steps are taken to keep both the children and themselves safe.

Steps will then be taken to inform parents/carers and to take the necessary actions in relation to the cause of the closure. All children will be supervised until they are safely collected.

 

 

 

Reviewed Oct 2018