Medicines
At St Joseph's School, the board ensures that the school is a physically and emotionally safe place (Education and Training Act 2020) and we have procedures to eliminate or minimise risks to health and safety (Health and Safety at Work Act, 2015). We value the health of students and staff, and we support them as needed to safely take medication during school hours and while participating in school-related activities. We have clear processes in place to safely manage medication use at school and school-related activities (e.g. storage, administration, record keeping). We review our procedures for storing, administering, and managing medications regularly and as needed.
How we collect, store, and use health information related to medicines is governed by the principles of the Privacy Act 2020. Our Medicines policy applies to students and staff taking prescription and non-prescription medication.
School responsibilities
We ask parents/caregivers to administer student medication outside school hours when possible. If we need to administer medication for students at school or school-related activities, we ensure that we:
- safely store medication in a place that is easily accessible by a staff member when needed
- gain written consent from parents/caregivers – see Medicine Authority form
- follow student
individual plans, where relevant An individual plan outlines any health conditions a student has and the support they need to manage it. These plans are usually referred to as health, management, or action plans. Students may need a plan if their condition requires regular medication, monitoring, management, adaptation of the learning environment, and/or hospitalisation.
Plans are developed collaboratively, and generally involve the student, parents/caregivers (whānau), and a health professional. The principal and other staff members may also provide input during this process. The plan should be reviewed regularly to ensure it is kept up to date.
An individual plan considers the needs and situation of an individual student and their whānau. This may include assessing expectations around care, supervision, and treatment (e.g. medication), potential barriers to learning, procedures to follow in an emergency, and communication methods. The plan includes student details, information used to develop the plan, agreed processes to support the student, and written agreement from parents.
Action Plans 
(Allergy New Zealand)
Asthma Action Plans (Asthma Respiratory Foundation NZ)
Diabetes in schools (The Paediatric Society of New Zealand)
- administer the medication safely and privately
- keep a record of the medication given
It is good practice to record the name of the student, the dose given, the time and date given, who administered the medication, and any other action taken.
- review medication kept at school (e.g. checking expiry dates, replacements).
In an emergency, we provide first aid and call emergency services as required. Medication is administered according to the student individual plan if provided. In the event of an evacuation, staff bring essential medication to the assembly area.
The school will not administer medication to a student without formal parental consent. However, non-prescription pain relief may be given with verbal consent and instruction on the appropriate dosage from a parent. School supplies of pain relief medicine (e.g. paracetamol) for students and staff are kept in original packaging and may be given by a first aider or self-administered.
Medication storage
We observe the following guidelines when storing medicines.
- Medication held by the school is stored securely in the sick bay. Medication is refrigerated as required.
- Emergency allergy medication, such as EpiPens, is kept in the sick bay and stored appropriately so that it is readily accessible.
- Medication for specific allergies is stored in the sick bay with a complete list of student conditions.
- When off school grounds (e.g. EOTC, sports etc), all medication is held by a designated person and individual medication is administered as required and recorded. See EOTC Health and First Aid.
- Expiry dates are checked regularly and parents/caregivers are advised if supplied medication needs replacing.
- Medication that is no longer required is returned to the parents/caregivers. We also send all medication home at the end of the year, so that parents/caregivers can check expiry dates and renew as needed for the new year.
Responsibilities of others
Parents/Caregivers are expected to:
- provide medical information about the student on enrolment
- work collaboratively with the school to put in place any individual plans related to medicine use
- deliver medication to the school, unless it is appropriate for the student to bring it with them
- supply medication in its original container/packaging labelled with the name of the student, instructions, and dose required
- explain to relevant school staff any specific procedures needed for administering medication and monitoring
- inform the school of any changes to the medication plan (e.g. dose).
Students and staff taking medicine that might cause impairment are asked to disclose this so we can support them to ensure everyone's safety.
Staff are responsible for ensuring any medication they bring to school is stored and taken safely.
Related topics
Legislation
- Education and Training Act 2020
- Health and Safety at Work Act 2015
- Privacy Act 2020
: Term 3 2025,Term 2 2024, Term 3 2023, Term 3 2022, Term 4 2020
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