PLEASE NOTE: New Standards Published

April 2011: The Standards no longer apply, Tri.x have published a web enabled version of the new Children’s Homes and Fostering Standards, please follow this link:

www.minimumstandards.org

2. Quality of Care	Size:
Treatment and Administration of Medicines Within the Home

	OUTCOME Children’s health needs are met and their welfare is safeguarded by the home’s policies and procedures for administering medicines and providing treatment.
	STANDARD 13
13.1	First aid, minor illness treatment and administration of medication given at the home (other than by a registered nurse, doctor or dentist) are given only by competent designated staff (e.g. by or under the supervision of a qualified first aider or, where the home has one, a nurse).
13.2	A written record is kept by the home of all medication, treatment and first aid given to children, giving name, date, time, medication/treatment (including dosage), reason for administration (if not prescribed), which is signed by the responsible member of staff and is regularly monitored by an appropriate designated senior member of staff. A record is also kept of when and why prescribed medicines are not administered or are refused (and any frequent refusal is reported to the prescribing practitioner), when medication ceases and how and when medicines are disposed of.
13.3	When staff carry out skilled health tasks for children (e.g. catheter care, administration of oxygen, administration of rectal diazepam, supporting physiotherapy programmes, management of prostheses), these are carried out only on the written authorisation of the prescribing doctor or responsible nurse in relation to the individual child concerned, and by staff authorised by the prescribing doctor or a nurse responsible for the tasks concerned. Records are kept of all such tasks carried out.
13.4	The registered person has obtained, and retains on file, prior written permission from a person with parental responsibility for each child, for the administration of first aid and appropriate non-prescription medication.
13.5	Staff are trained in the use of first aid and first aid boxes are provided within the home.
13.6	If a person is employed to work as a nurse at the home, that staff member holds a current registration as a nurse, and the registered person has confirmed on appointment that they are registered with the United Kingdom Central Council [or when in operation the Nursing and Midwifery Council]. The title of ‘nurse’ is not used for staff not so registered. If a person is employed as a nurse, that nurse should have access to a named senior nurse or doctor for professional guidance and consultation.
13.7	Children are given medication as prescribed for them, any refusal to take medication is recorded and, if frequent, reported to the prescribing practitioner.
13.8	Prescribed medication is only given to the child for whom it was prescribed, in accordance with the prescription or instructions from the pharmacy, and is not kept for general use for other people (children or staff ) or added to ‘stock’ for such use.
13.9	Children keeping and administering their own medication are assessed by staff as sufficiently responsible to do so, and are able to lock their medication somewhere not readily accessible to other children.
13.10	Prescribed and ‘household’ medication, other than that kept by individual children keeping their own medication, is kept securely (e.g. in a locked cabinet whose key is not accessible to children), and there is a policy with written guidance, implemented in practice, for storing, disposing and administering medication.
13.11	The registered person has secured, and follows, qualified medical or nursing advice in a written protocol on the provision of non-prescription ‘household’ medicines to children. [Regulations 20, 21]