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First Aid Policy

Statement of Intent

This policy outlines the StreetVibes Media Academy’s (SV) responsibility to provide adequate and appropriate first aid to pupils, staff, parents and visitors and the procedures in place to meet that responsibility. The policy is reviewed annually.

This policy does not intend to replace the usual emergency procedures that would be expected in the case of serious harm or accident. If any member of staff suspects that a pupil, staff, parent or visitor has sustained serious harm, is immobile, has trouble breathing, loses consciousness or suffers significant blood loss they should call 999 immediately and arrange for an ambulance.

Aims

· To identify the first aid needs of SV in line with the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 and 1999.
· To ensure that first aid provision is available at all times while people are on school premises, and also off the premises whilst on school visits.

Objectives

· To appoint the appropriate number of suitably trained people as Appointed Persons and First Aiders to meet the needs of SV
· To provide relevant training and ensure monitoring of training needs
· To provide sufficient and appropriate resources and facilities
· To inform staff and parents of the school’s First Aid arrangements
· To keep accident records and to report to the HSE as required under the
· Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995.

Personnel

The Senior Management Team is responsible for the health and safety of its employees and anyone else on the premises. This includes the teachers, non-teaching staff, pupils and visitors (including contractors).

The Head must ensure that a risk assessment of the school is undertaken and that the appointments, training and resources for first aid arrangements are appropriate and in place. He should ensure that the insurance arrangements provide full cover for claims arising from actions of staff acting within the scope of their employ. The Head is responsible for putting the policy into practice and for developing detailed procedures. He should ensure that the policy and information on the school’s arrangements for first aid are made available on request to parents.

Teachers and other staff are expected to do all they can to secure the welfare of the pupils.

The Appointed Person need not be a First Aider, but should have undertaken emergency first aid training. He/she will:

· Take charge when someone is injured or becomes ill
· Look after the first aid equipment e.g. restocking the first aid boxes
· Ensure that an ambulance or other professional medical help is summoned when appropriate.

The First Aider must have completed and keep updated a training course approved by the HSE. This is a voluntary post. He/she will:

· Give immediate help to casualties with common injuries or illnesses
· When necessary, ensure that an ambulance or other professional medical help is called.

Procedures

Risk assessment: Reviews are required to be carried out annually - or immediately when circumstances alter - by the Health and Safety Officer. Recommendations on measures needed to prevent or control identified risks are forwarded to the governing Committee and Head.

Re-assessment of first-aid provision: As part of the schools’ annual monitoring and evaluation cycle

· the Head reviews the schools’ first-aid needs following any changes to staff, building/site, activities, off-site facilities, etc
· the Administrator monitors the number of trained first aiders, alerts them to the need for refresher courses and organises their training sessions
· the Administrator also monitors the emergency first-aid training received by other staff and organises appropriate training
· the Health and Safety Officer checks the contents of the first-aid boxes termly.

Providing information: The Head will ensure that staff are informed about the schools’ first-aid arrangements

Provision

The recommended number of certified first-aiders is one per 100 pupils/staff.

Qualifications & Training

The appointed first aider will hold a valid certificate of competence issued by an organisation approved by the HSE.

A record will be kept of appointed first aiders and the certificate dates they hold.  Refresher courses will be regularly booked and attended to ensure training qualifications are up to date and certificates are valid.

Materials & Equipment

First aid equipment will be easily accessible to the appointed person and clearly labelled.  

All first aid containers will have a green background marked with a white cross.

At least one fully stocked container is available at every site.

The contents of the first aid containers will be checked frequently by the appointed person, and restocked as soon as possible after use.

Extra first aid supplies will be available at the school for restocking first aid containers.

Items which have passed their expiry date will be safely disposed of.

Accommodation

The Appointed Person will provide a suitable room for medical treatment and care of children during school hours. This need not be a dedicated area but should be close to a lavatory and a washbasin.

Hygiene/Infection control

Basic hygiene procedures must be followed by staff. Single-use disposable gloves must be worn when treatment involves blood or other bodily fluids. Single-use disposable gloves must also be worn when cleaning up blood or bodily fluids. Care should be taken when disposing of dressings or equipment.

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 Head 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 record can be combined with other accident records.

For definitions, see HSC/E guidance on RIDDOR1995. HSE must be notified of fatal and major injuries and dangerous occurrences without delay. Further reports may need to be made to the Local Authority Education Officer and/or the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). The Head is responsible for ensuring this happens, but may delegate the duty to the Health and Safety Officer or the Designated Lead for Safeguarding.

Record keeping

Statutory accident records: The Governing Committee must ensure that readily accessible accident records, written or electronic, are kept for a minimum of seven years. The Health and Safety Officer 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 of the injured or ill person
  • Details of their injury/illness and what first aid was given
  • What happened to the person immediately afterwards
  • Name and signature of the first aider or person dealing with the incident.
  • The Head must inform parents of significant incidents.
  • The Head should establish a regular review and analysis of accident records for monitoring and evaluation purposes.


This policy will be reviewed annually. This policy was last reviewed 3rd September 2022