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Posted By bob safe
Anyone seen this gem?
http://uk.news.yahoo.com...om-school-45dbed5_1.html
I have worked in care settings where nursery nurses have dealt with issues like this continually for a number of years and have never once been asked to advise. Teachers are paid an awful lot more money than nursery nurses and refuse to do it. Is this a case of people shirking their responsibilities with the support of a union? Normally these elf and safety things are laughable but when the very people who should be instilling moral values into young people are depriving them of what is in my opinion a basic human right then they should look for another career and stop blaming health and safety when it's not the issue at all.
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Posted By DRB
Possible disability discrimination case. I know what I'd do if it was my child!
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Posted By David Matthew
My child was in a similar situation some 12 years ago when going to nursery school. Unfortunately this appears to be a direct consequence of people fearing that they could be sued. Similar concerns are often voiced by people refusing to become first aiders.
In my own case after talking to the head teacher I decided that I wouldn't send my child back there even if it was the last place on earth and was fortunate to find a more enlifghten school in the area. We had fantastic support by our GP and our health visitor who arranged to go into the school and talk to the staff to explain the condition, the effects and what to do. Training on the use of an epipen was then given to volunteer staff who had the full backing of the LEA and the union. We did however resist a request to allow the school to tell all the pupils about our childs condition as we didn't want it used as a 'weapon' against them.
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Posted By bob safe
It was maybe a bit hasty for me to wonder if the unions backed this and i'm not anti-trades union, but they're always claiming to be acting in the best interests of everyone involved so if they agree with this then people need to lose jobs. I know if it was my boy I'd be demanding a meeting with the director of Education or the LEA and if they shirked I'd be on to my MP and wouldn't be stopping at accepting an apology
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Posted By John Watson
I understand the sensitivties of this situation, and would not want to make a judgement either way. The bit I dont understand is how its "elf and safety" reasons again. It is many things but elf and safety it aint.
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Posted By B Smart
I'm a bit confused Bob. Where is there a mention of the Trade Unions in the story?
Glad you highlighted this case though, it sort of confirms what Lisa Fowlie states in the following article: http://www.healthandsafe...or.com/articles/20070925
B. Smart
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Posted By Jay Joshi
The reason appears to be that no one in the school could take charge of his EpiPen because no one knew how to use it.
Even in a discussion thread in this forum, HS Practitioners did not have a consensus about the exception in law for some types of prescription medicines in emergencies. Yes. you have to train to administer the Epi-pen--which is a relatively simple thing to do, especially for a first aider.
Refer to:-
http://www.iosh.co.uk/in...iew&forum=1&thread=27979
Please refer to :-
http://www.hse.gov.uk/firstaid/faqs.htm#tablets
It states that:-
Medicines legislation restricts the administration of injectable medicines. Unless self administered, they may only be administered by or in accordance with the instructions of a doctor (eg by a nurse). However, in the case of adrenaline there is an exemption to this restriction which means in an emergency, a suitably trained lay person is permitted to administer it by injection for the purpose of saving life. The use of an Epipen to treat anaphylactic shock falls into this category. Therefore, first aiders may administer an Epipen if they are dealing with a life threatening emergency in a casualty who has been prescribed and is in possession of an Epipen and where the first aider is trained to use it.
This legal exemption for parenteral (administered by means other than through the alimentary tract as by intramuscular or intravenous injection) administration in an emergency to human beings of certain prescription only medicines is via Regulation 7 of the The Prescription Only Medicines (Human Use) Order 1997
It includes Adrenaline Injection 1 in 1000 (1 mg in 1 ml).
Refer to:-
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1997/71830--b.htm#7
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1997/19971830.htm
It is clear in law that the medicines legislation permits the administration in an emergency to human beings of certain prescription only medicines via Regulation 7 of the The Prescription Only Medicines (Human Use) Order 1997
If you read the discussion thread I have referred to, and the input to it, including the decision taken by the originator, perhaps we should question whether we as a profession practice sensible risk management! Yes, there will always be a small possibility of someone attempting to assign blame via suing/civil claim. I doubt that it will be succesful if it can be proven that the person who administered the Epi-pen was trained to use it, and especially when that person is a first aider.
It is high time that the 3 voluntary first aid training organisations came out with explicit guidance on this subject.
In the case of the school, it would be a very simple matter to have a permissioning system where the parent/guardian would give written permision to admminister the Epi-pen in an emergency, if there was a fear of being sued!
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Posted By Pete48
Those who may have an interest in seeing the guidance to schools in this area could check out this link.
Guidance is there but it doesn't fit easily onto a newspaper headline!
I leave you to make judgements
http://www.teachernet.go.../healthandsafety/medical
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