First Aid Policy

Policy details

Academy: Co-op Academy Princeville

Policy owner: Naureen Majid

Date: November 2023

Date shared with staff: 21.11.23

Date shared with governors: 21.11.23

Contents

Policy details        1

Introduction        2

School First Aiders        3

Triage        3

Roles and Responsibilities        5

Use of Epi-Pens        7

Providing Information        7

Provision        8

Appointed Person        8

Qualifications and Training        8

First Aid Equipment, Materials and Facilities        8

Accomodation        9

Dealing with Blood and Bodily Fluid Spills        9

Waste Disposal        10

Reporting Accidents        10

Accidents involving Students and Visitors        11

Record Keeping        11

Monitoring        12

Action in the Event of and Injury        12

Procedures for First Aid Staff        12

Payment for First Aiders        12

Appendix 1 - First Aid Information        14

Appendix 2 - Useful Contacts        16

Introduction

The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations (1981) require employers to provide trained persons, equipment etc to deal with First Aid emergencies and ill health occurring at work.

This policy outlines Co-op Academy Princeville’s responsibility to provide adequate and appropriate first aid to pupils, staff, parents/carers and visitors, and procedures in place to meet that responsibility.

The Academy recognises that First Aid can save lives and prevent minor injuries/incidents becoming major ones. This document has been prepared to provide guidance on the policy and procedures for dealing with First Aid at Co-op Academy Princeville.

The requirements for the statutory provision of First Aid have been considered to ensure that the academy will provide adequate and appropriate facilities, equipment and qualified first aid members of staff.

This policy is informed by the DfE Guidance on First Aid for Schools and is reviewed annually.

Aims

• To identify the first aid needs of the Academy
• To ensure that first aid provision is available at all times whilst people are on site, and also off site whilst Co-op Academy Princeville are on school trips

Objectives

• To appoint the appropriate number of trained First Aiders to meet the needs of the school
• To provide relevant training and ensure monitoring of training needs
• To provide appropriate first aid resources and facilities
• To inform staff and parents of qualified First Aiders on site.
• To keep accident records and report to the HSE as and when required under the reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995

School First Aiders

Trained First Aiders are clearly identified by posters located in the medical cupboards around the school. This includes those who are Paediatric First Aid Trained.

Triage

Students are sent to the Main Office when a member of the First Aid team is not available. Minor injuries can be attended to outside of the classrooms on the learning streets.

Staff/visitors to be sent to the Main Office and seen to by a First Aid at Work qualified member of staff.

The Headteacher is responsible for the Health and Safety of their employees and anyone else on the premises. This includes the teachers, non-teaching staff, pupils and visitors including contractors.

They must ensure that a risk assessment of the Academy is undertaken and that the appointments, training and resources for first aid arrangements are appropriate and in place.

They must ensure that the insurance arrangements provide full cover for claims arising from actions of staff in their role as a first aider.

The headteacher is responsible for putting the policy into practice.

The Headteacher should ensure that the policy and information on the Academy’s arrangements for first aid are made available to parents/carers.

All teachers and other staff are expected to do all they can to secure the welfare of the students.

Roles and Responsibilities

A First Aider is a person who has attended and successfully completed First Aid Paediatric and/or First Aid at Work emergency training and First Aid emergency Paediatric training.

First Aid means the following:

• Cases where a person will need help from a medical practitioner or nurse,
• Treatment in the case of an injury for the purpose of preserving life and minimising the consequences of injury and illness until such help is obtained,
• Treatment for minor injuries which would otherwise receive no treatments or do not need treatment by a medical practitioner or nurse.

Identification of suitable employees

In selecting first aiders, the Headteacher must consider the person’s:

• Reliability and communication skills
• Aptitude to absorb new knowledge and learn new skills
• Ability to cope with stressful and physically demanding emergency procedures
• Normal duties- a first aider must be able to immediate leave and tend to the emergency

Role and responsibilities of First Aiders and appointed persons

An Appointed person is someone who:

• Takes charge when someone becomes ill or is injured
• Looks after the first aid equipment e.g. restocking first aid cupboards
• Ensures that an ambulance or other professional medical help is summoned when needed. The office should be contacted immediately on extension 204 or 200.

Appointed persons are not first aiders. They should not give first aid treatment for which they have not been trained. However, it is good practice to ensure that the appointed persons have emergency first aid training/refresher training.

These courses normally cover the following topics:

• What to do in an emergency
• Resuscitation
• First aid for the unconscious casualty
• First aid for the wounded or bleeding

This training should help an Appointed Person cope with an emergency and improve their competence and confidence.

The First Aiders’ and Appointed Persons’ role includes:

• The administration of First Aid, up to but not exceeding their level of training
• Ensuring that any incident and treatment given is recorded
• Any serious incidents are reported immediately to the Headteacher
• Ensure that all spillages of bodily fluids are reported and cleared up promptly
• Ensure that all serious incidents are reported immediately to the headteacher and that all appropriate documentation is completed as soon as the immediate effects have been dealt with

The First Aiders’ and Appointed Persons’ responsibilities include:

• Attending an initial approved training course.
• To report any illnesses or injuries to the Head Teacher which would preclude their abilities to administer first aid, in order for the Academy to arrange alternative cover.
• Attend a three yearly refresher training course before the expiry of their previous accreditation or they will have to complete the initial training again.

First Aid should be provided where a person will need further medical treatment until such help arrives and for the treatment of minor injuries. It should be noted that the treatment of minor illnesses (tablets, medicines) falls outside the definition of First Aid.

The role of the first aider is to provide care after an accident or injury including preserving life, minimising further damage and making the patient as comfortable as possible until professional medical or nursing help is available. It is not to give treatment.

The role of a member of staff discovering a serious injury or illness is to contact the Main Office on 204 or 200 or contact a class where there is a First Aider and take charge until qualified assistance is available.  Office staff will then contact a first aid qualified person if none found and will also contact the emergency services if needed.

In the result of the emergency services being needed please contact the main office or a member of SLT. If you have called the emergency services yourself please make the office aware.

The three main entrances for emergency services are the Gym entrance, the entrance on Princeville Street and the Main entrance on Willowfield Street.

The First Aider will decide whether or not the casualty should be moved or remain undisturbed, and may have to take other appropriate action depending on the assessment of the situation.

In the case of a serious incident available staff should seek to ensure the safety and welfare of other students in the area.

Indemnity and Insurance

Where an employee acting in the course of their employment administers First Aid assistance to another employee or other person on site, they will be indemnified by the liability insurance for a claim of negligence relating to injury or loss caused by their actions, provided that:

• They are an Academy officially designated First Aider with a current valid First Aid at Work Certificate and have attended relevant refresher training.
• They are an Academy officially designated Appointed Person with a current valid Appointed Persons Training Certificate and have attended the relevant refresher training.
• The relevant protective equipment (PPE) is used
• The First Aider or Appointed Person is adhering to protocols and acting within the limitations of their training and the First Aider or Appointed Person is acting in good faith.

Use of Epi-Pens

Members of staff who have been trained in the use of the Epi-Pen whether by Parent/Carer, user or medical staff will also be covered providing that:

• The member of staff is adhering to the protocols and acting within the limitations of their training and that the member of staff is acting in good faith.

Procedures

Risk Assessment

Reviews are required to be carried out at least annually and at the request of the Headteacher. Recommendations on measures needed to prevent or control identified risks must be forwarded to the Headteacher.

Re-assessment of first aid provision

As part of the Academy’s annual monitoring and evaluation cycle

• The Headteacher reviews the Academy’s first aid needs following any changes to staff, building/site, activities etc
• The designated Health and Safety Officer monitors the number of trained first aiders and alerts them to the need for refresher courses and organises their training sessions.
• The designated Health and Safety Officer also monitors the emergency first aid training received by other staff and organises appropriate training.

Providing Information

The Headteacher will inform all staff (including those with reading and language difficulties) of the first aid arrangements, including the location of equipment, facilities and first aid personnel and the procedures for reviewing and monitoring the Academy’s first aid needs.

The Health and Safety Officer

• Provides information packs for new staff as part of the induction
• Gives all staff information on the location of equipment, facilities and first aid personnel

First Aid notices will be displayed in a prominent place

Provision

How many first aid personnel are required?

The Headteacher will consider the finding of the risk assessment in deciding the number of first-aid personnel required.  Academies are low risk environments, however the headteacher will consider specific times, places and activities taking place.

In particular they should consider:

• Offsite PE
• Academy trips
• Adequate provision in case of absence
• Out of hours provision e.g. clubs, events

Arrangements should be made to ensure that the required level of cover of both First Aiders and Appointed Persons is available at all times and when people are on the Academy premises.

Appointed Person

The Academy should appoint at least one Appointed Person.

Qualifications and Training

First Aiders will hold a valid certificate of competence issued by an organisation approved by the HSE.

Appointed Persons will undertake a one-day emergency First Aid training

Specialist training in First Aid at Work should be arranged in a 3-year cycle

First Aid Materials, Equipment and Facilities

The Headteacher must ensure that the appropriate number of first aid containers according to the risk assessment of the site are available (see HSE guidelines on recommended and mandatory contents).

• First aid boxes are available on the learning streets (first aid stations) and in the gym
• First Aid stock kept in the First Aid cupboard in the Main Office
• All first aid packs/ cupboards must be marked with a white cross on a green background
• Each academy bus must carry a first aid pack
• First aid packs must accompany PE teachers off site
• First aid packs must accompany staff on trips and at playtime

First aid packs should be kept near to hand washing facilities and can be found on all learning streets

First Aid Packs

A list of the locations of First Aid packs will be made available.

All items will be discarded safely after the expiry date has passed

Accommodation

The Headteacher must provide a suitable room for medical treatment and care of children during Academy hours. This need not be a dedicated area but should be close to a toilet and contain a washbasin. The medical room is located adjacent to the main office.

Control of Infection

Many blood-borne micro-organisms have the capacity to infect a first aider should blood from an already infected casualty enter an open wound or sore on the first aider for example Hepatitis.

The HIV virus is not readily transmitted in this way and only a small number of cases of cross infection are documented in health care circles, usually involving heavily infected patients in the latter stages of their condition. However, the emergence of HIV/Aids has served to concentrate attention to sensible and routine protective measures which should always be employed during the treatment of bleeding wounds, regardless of the health or otherwise of the casualty.

As it is impossible to be sure of who is or is not infected with these viruses the following precautions should be taken by First Aiders.

• Treat all casualties as if they are a carrier of a virus
• Always cover open wounds on your own hands with a waterproof adhesive dressing
• Where practical wear a pair of disposable gloves (latex or nitrile) when dealing with bleeding or when cleaning up bodily fluids or excreta
• All used gloves, waste dressings and other contaminated waste should be placed in a plastic bag for disposal
• Any blood splashes on the skin should be washed off with soap and water
• If a cut or puncture wound by a needle is sustained, let the wound bleed, squeeze it gently but do not suck it. Wash the area in cold running water and apply a sterile dressing. Report the incident and seek medical advice immediately.
• The HIV virus has only occasionally been found in saliva and in very small quantities when compared with blood. No HIV infection is known to have occurred as a result of carrying out mouth to mouth resuscitation. Therefore, the risk to the First Aider is thought to be extremely small and should not discourage a prompt response in a lifesaving emergency.
• A protective resuscitation aid can be used where available and this may be kept in first aid packs.
• Never reuse disposable equipment or use it to treat more than one casualty.

Dealing with blood and body fluid spills

Spillages of blood, vomit, urine and excreta should be cleaned up promptly. The following general actions must be taken by the person dealing with the spill:

• Clear the immediate area of people. Hazard signs and cordoning may be necessary depending on the circumstances
• Disposable personal protective equipment (PPE) including gloves (latex or nitrile) or equivalent and a disposable plastic apron must be worn
• Any spilt blood or other bodily fluids should be cleaned up either with disposable absorbent paper towels or with an appropriate sanitising product

Waste disposal

Waste created by the administration of first aid is categorised as hazardous as it may contain bodily fluids. However, in most circumstances and premises the amount produced is minimal and as such special arrangements for disposal are not required.

Reporting Accidents

Statutory requirements: under the reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) some accidents must be reported to the HSE.

The Headteacher must keep a record of any reportable injury, disease or dangerous occurrence.

This must include the date and method of reporting, the date, time and place of the event, personal details of those involved and a brief description of the nature of the event or disease. This report can be combined with other accident records. All copies of these forms should be kept in the First Aid cupboard in the main office.

If the injured party requires more than basic first aid i.e. hospital treatment, the First Aider must contact the main office or a member of SLT.

A copy of the student /staff information will be printed off by the office staff ready to give to the emergency services. Once the call has been made a member of staff will meet the emergency services by the gates and direct them to the injured person. If the appointed first aider or another member of staff has contacted the emergency services directly then this needs to be reported to the main office immediately.

The following accidents must be reported to the HSE involving employees or self-employed people working on the premises:

• Accidents resulting in death or major injury (including as a result of physical violence)
• Accidents which prevent the injured person from doing their normal work for more than three days

For definitions see HSC/E guidance on RIDDOR1995 and information on Reporting Academy Accidents (Annex A)

Accident forms for non-serious injuries are in each first aid box.

Report forms for serious injuries are available from the Main Office staff and are also available on the shared drive in the First Aid folder.

Accidents involving Students and Visitors

In the case of any accidents that result in the person’s death or being taken from the site of the accident to hospital and if the accident arises out of or in connection with work i.e. if it relates to;

• Any Academy activity, both on or off the premises
• The way the Academy activity has been organised and managed
• Equipment, machinery and substances
• The design or condition of the premises

HSE (RIDDOR) must be notified of fatal and major injuries and dangerous occurrences without delay-the Senior Administrator or SLT will do this.

HSE will be notified of fatal and major injuries and dangerous occurrences without delay (i.e. by telephone). This will be followed up within ten days with a written report on Form 2508. Other reportable accidents do not need immediate notification, but they will be reported to HSE within ten days on Form 2508.

The Headteacher is responsible for ensuring this happens, but delegates this duty to the Senior Administrator.

Record Keeping

Statutory accident records: The Headteacher must ensure that readily accessible accident records (written or electronic) are kept for a minimum of 7 years.

Academy’s central record: This can be combined with the RIDDOR record and the Accident Book, providing all legislation requirements are met. Records are kept in the Archive room in the confidential cupboard and/or the First Aid locked cupboard in the Main Office.

The Headteacher must ensure that a record is kept of any first aid treatment given by first aiders or appointed persons. This should include:

• The date, time and place of incident
• The name and class of the injured person
• Details of the injury and what first aid was given
• What happened to the person immediately afterwards
• If parent/guardian was informed about the incident
• Name and signature of the first aider or person dealing with the incident

The Headteacher must have in place procedures for ensuring that parents are informed of significant incidents. ALL head injuries must be reported to parents/carers as soon as possible.

Monitoring

Accident records can be used to help the Head, SLT and Health and Safety Officers identify trends and areas for improvement. They also could help identify training or other needs and may also be helpful for insurance and investigative purposes.

The Headteacher should establish a regular review and analysis of accident records.

Action in the Event of Injury

Students with minor injuries should report to the Teacher.

Students who need first aid during a lesson should be referred to a First Aider available on their floor or be taken to the Main Office in the event of a First Aider not been available on their floor, they should always be accompanied by an adult.

If it would further endanger the student then a First Aider must go to them.

Causalities with suspected fractures, neck or back injuries must not be moved unless directed by the ambulance personnel. They must not be moved on the instruction of any bystander for the patient’s safety and insurance purposes.

Injuries and accidents that happen outside of lessons must be dealt with in a similar way.

No injured student should be left unattended.

In more serious cases where hospital attention is necessary an ambulance will be called and parents/carers contacted immediately.

In the absence of a parent/carer a member of staff must accompany the student to the hospital and remain with them until the parent arrives.

If the parent/carer cannot be contacted the Academy will act in loco parentis and give permission for any emergency treatment.

Procedures for First Aid Staff

• The Academy will not allow under any circumstances the administration of non-prescribed medicines.
• First Aid should only be administered in response to an immediate and serious medical problem.
• No treatment or procedure should be attempted where appropriate formal training has not been undertaken.
• Parents of students who have received First Aid must be informed at the earliest opportunity about the incident, injury and any action taken. All incidents must be written in the First Aid book and a copy given to the parent/carer.
• All head injuries must be reported to the parent/carer.

Appendix 1- First Aid Information

Appointed Person

The minimum requirement on an employer is to appoint a person to take charge of First Aid arrangements and any emergency First Aid situation.

An Appointed Person can provide temporary cover for First Aiders. They need to have a valid certificate for Appointed Persons, the course takes place over one day (6 hours). If they need to administer First Aid to a child under seven years of age they must also have a valid current certificate in Paediatric First Aid.

Statutory Training

First Aid at Work

This is the principal First Aid course which covers a wide range of situations from low to high risk. On successfully undertaking training and passing a written and practical assessment the person will be issued with a First Aid at Work certificate which is valid for three years. This will need to be renewed within the valid time of the certificate. In the event that the certificate expires they person will need to attend the full First Aid at Work course over four days (24 hours)

First Aid at Work Refresher

This is a requalification of the First Aid at Work Certificate providing that they pass the written and practical assessment. Those who wish to renew their certificate must do so before the expiry date ideally at 2 years and 10 months. This will take place over two days (12 hours). If staff are required to administer First Aid to a child under seven years of age additional Paediatric First Aid training must be undertaken.

Refresher training should be carried out annually by all designated First Aiders and Appointed Persons, the course takes place over 3 hours.

First Aid Equipment

A minimum of one First Aid box should be provided for each establishment/learning street and Academy vehicle. Minibuses must carry First Aid kits that comply with PCV and minibus regulations. Each First Aider should have their own First Aid kit for rapid access in an emergency situation.

All First Aid kits should be identified by a white cross on a green background and contain the following minimum items:

• Accident Reporting Card
• Sterile dressings, 6 small, 6 medium and 2 large
• 20 individual wrapped sterile adhesive dressings
• 2 Sterile eye pads
• 4 Triangular bandages
• 12 safety pins
• 2 disposable gloves
• 1x 300ml bottle of sterile water
• Individually wrapped moist wipes
• 1 pair of scissors (First Aid type)
• 1 roll of micro pore tape
• 1 mouthpiece
• Pencil and paper

Quantities should be decided upon in the light of risk assessment

There must be no medication of any kind in the First Aid kits for example paracetamol, creams. Administration of medication in a First Aid situation is not part of a First Aider’s role.

The reasoning behind this is you may not know if any medication has previously been taken or dosage and when. This could cause more complications if further treatment is required later on. First Aid kits are always available for anyone to use so the chances of this happening are quite high.

The provision of plasters are fine, most people will know if they are allergic and will ask for alternatives to be used.

Cleaning products used for cleaning up spillages of bodily fluids should be used but not located in the First Aid cupboard or in First Aid kits

The following members of staff hold HSE approved Certificates

Appendix 2- Useful Contacts

RIDDOR Incident contact centre- 0345 300 9923

https://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/report.htm