radish Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Hi all, With regards staff taking medication - New EYFS framework - no 3.17 How are you dealing with this sensitive issue? We have been advised to keep updated information regarding all staff medication but I am a little unsure about how to go about this as it needs to be handled very carefully so as not to cause offence. How would you log it, how often would you update your records etc? Thanks for you advise Radish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 we have a staff health form that they fill in every year, this is then kept in their file. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumperrabbit Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 We have the same as Simcity, however I'm not sure if that's enough? I mentioned it to the staff and said if they ever go to the docs and get prescribed something would they check they are still ok to work with children!! thought about putting a note about it in the staff handbook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Given that pretty much every medication information leaflet tells you you it may make you drowsy and you should refrain from driving (in my experience!) then there'll be an awful lot of staff unable to work with children! 2008 framework: Specific legal requirements: Alcohol/other substances When working directly with children, practitioners must not be under the influence of alcohol or any other substance which may affect their ability to care for children. Statutory guidance to which providers should have regard: Practitioners taking medication which they believe may affect their ability to care for children should seek medical advice and only work directly with children if that advice is that the medication is unlikely to impair their ability to look after children. 2012 framework: 3.17 Practitioners must not be under the influence of alcohol or any other substance which may affect their ability to care for children. If practitioners are taking medication which may affect their ability to care for children, those practitioners should seek medical advice. Providers must ensure that those practitioners only work directly with children if medical advice confirms that the medication is unlikely to impair that staff member’s ability to look after children properly. Staff medication on the premises must be securely stored, and out of reach of children, at all times. However, looking at the 2 frameworks they seem to say the same thing but in different ways i.e. that the practitioners should check with their medical professionals if the medication they have to take prevents them from working with children and if it does providers would have to ensure they work away from children while taking it. So I would assume that what you are doing now would still continue to meet the statutory requirements? Cx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redjayne Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 My staff do the annual Health update - and we also have return to work interviews after any sickness, where they are aware that if there is prescribed medication we need to be informed - discuss any changes in routines or possible restrictions on what they can and can't do record it,and review this at the next supervision session. It is also in our staff sickness policy and handbook about the need to inform and why. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Just out of curiosity, if my medical professional has told me that any medication I might need to take has no impact on my doing work with children, why would my taking it need to be recorded? Surely it is only an issue if I were to be taking something that might cause me a problem, in which case I would in all likelihood have a fitness for work certificate spelling it out anyway. Who in a setting would have the medical expertise to make any judgement about what any particular prescription drug might or might not mean?? What about over the counter medications? The framework, in my interpretation means that this would only need to be disclosed if a medical professional has said it may affect the abilty to work with children. I ask beacuse as a teacher this isn't something I have ever known anyone being required to disclose to non medical professionals. Cx 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redjayne Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 I record and discuss for the member of staff's safety as much as anything - if they are taking something new to them and they were to have a reaction of some sort at least I would be aware of what potentially might be the issue . I actually had this with a staff member a few years back - was on inhalers , doctor gave them a new one , the first time they took it ( at work after collecting it on way back from Docs) it triggered an attack and I had to call an ambulance, if I hadn't had the return to work chat I wouldn't have known ? It is a bit easier now we have fit for work certificates but I still do the return to work interviews, as do lots of places, including schools - it's good practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredbear Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 Seems very Big Brother in my opinion. I get very tetchy when the powers that be instruct us to act as Medical Professionals, of which I am certainly not. A good dose of common sense springs to mind. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catma Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 I suppose I would argue that the response to someone having a reaction to anything would always be to call 999 - knowing or not knowing what they have been prescribed doesn't matter as the hospital would be able to access their GP/medical records anyway. Unless someone was medically qualified I wouldn't want anyone deciding anything for me in regards to the medication I have to take. Unless a GP has said I cannot work with children then I personally don't think it is my employers business. We also have return to work interviews as council employees, but they don't require us to disclose any medication we are on. When I have been through occupational health in the past the HT had no right to know anything about my medical history/medication, just to be told about my fitness for work. (I'm not being contrary, just very interested in the different views here) Cx 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fredbear Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 I am not meaning to be contrary either Catma. Just sometimes get exasperated by it all and where it's going. it is interesting to hear others view points too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 As someone who has been on numerous medications I didn't mind having these recorded on a form in work, simply to be sure someone knew about them if I was taken ill. However I appreciate I might not be in the majority. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan Posted June 10, 2012 Share Posted June 10, 2012 I suppose I would argue that the response to someone having a reaction to anything would always be to call 999 - knowing or not knowing what they have been prescribed doesn't matter as the hospital would be able to access their GP/medical records anyway. Unless someone was medically qualified I wouldn't want anyone deciding anything for me in regards to the medication I have to take. Unless a GP has said I cannot work with children then I personally don't think it is my employers business. We also have return to work interviews as council employees, but they don't require us to disclose any medication we are on. When I have been through occupational health in the past the HT had no right to know anything about my medical history/medication, just to be told about my fitness for work. (I'm not being contrary, just very interested in the different views here) Cx I agree, Catma. I was once told by my HT that I should always come to work and they would determine whether I was well enough to stay or go home. My union regarded this as bullying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lynned55 Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 My daughter is an HR Manager- she was talking to a friend the other day who was asking her for advice as she was returning to work after a good few weeks absence. She had actually been in a psyc unit, however she was signed off for stress and was concerned about what to say to her Manager if they asked why she had been off for so long. My daughter just kept saying to her dont worry, they wont ask you -it's all on a need to know basis. As for a HT determining whether you are well enough to stay or go - well really!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 just adding my situation I have trigeminal neuralgia a condition thet I will probably have now for the rest of my life. I have requested a letter from my neurologist to confirm that I am capable of working with young children even though I am taking anti-convulsant drugs to stop the pain. As with most medication I was warned they could make me drowsy. I have worked out that if I take them at 7am the affects have gone by 8am. I have not informed the head as we hve just become an academy , the previous head was really understanding, as am sure how he will view it. So agree with the above statement. Any way have asked my neurologist for a letter stating that I am ok to work with youn children. We shall see!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueJ Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 I know it's no good for staff on long term medication but our return to work form asks whether staff are taking medication and what impact it might have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Just out of curiosity, if my medical professional has told me that any medication I might need to take has no impact on my doing work with children, why would my taking it need to be recorded? Surely it is only an issue if I were to be taking something that might cause me a problem, in which case I would in all likelihood have a fitness for work certificate spelling it out anyway. Who in a setting would have the medical expertise to make any judgement about what any particular prescription drug might or might not mean?? What about over the counter medications? The framework, in my interpretation means that this would only need to be disclosed if a medical professional has said it may affect the abilty to work with children. I ask beacuse as a teacher this isn't something I have ever known anyone being required to disclose to non medical professionals. Cx That's a really good point! We are now required to complete a form if we need medication (and this is supposed to include paracetamol in the event of a headache) just 'in case'. I accept there's an outside chance of someone being idiotic enough to take tablets into the rooms to swallow from their water bottle (thus possibly dropping for the children to find..), and this is supposedly designed to prevent such an occurrence, but - is all this paperwork really necessary??? My own mdication is rather urgent (EpiPen- thus NECESSARY in the room, or with me, whenever) so - how many trees to chop down? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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