top of page

First Aid Policy

EMERGENCY FIRST AID POLICY

 

The Centre is committed to providing emergency first aid provision in order to deal with accidents and incidents affecting instructors, students and visitors.

 

The arrangements within this policy are based on the results of a suitable and sufficient risk assessment carried out by the Centre in regards to all instructors, students and visitors. The Chief Instructor has overall responsibility for ensuring that the Centre has adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and first aid personnel and for ensuring that the correct first aid procedures are followed.

 

This policy aims to comply with paragraph 3(6) of the schedule to the Education (Independent Academy Standards) (England) Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/1910), the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and subsequent regulations and guidance including the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 (SI 1981/917) and the First aid at work: Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, approved code of practice and guidance.

 

All instructors and staff should read and be aware of this Policy, know who to contact in the event of any illness, accident or injury and ensure this Policy is followed in relation to the administration of first aid. All staff will use their best endeavors, at all times, to secure the welfare of the pupils. Anyone on the Centre premises is expected to take reasonable care for their own and others' safety.

 

This policy is part of a number of Centre policies aiming at safeguarding children in all circumstances.

 

Aims of this Policy

 

  • To ensure that the Centre has adequate, safe and effective first aid provision in order for every instructor, student and visitor to be well looked after in the event of any illness, accident or injury, no matter how major or minor.

  • To ensure that all instructors and students are aware of the procedures in the event of any illness, accident or injury.

  • To ensure that medicines are only administered at the Centre when express permission has been granted for this.

  • To ensure that all medicines are appropriately stored.

  • To promote effective infection control.

 

Nothing in this policy should affect the ability of any person to contact the emergency services in the event of a medical emergency. For the avoidance of doubt, instructors and students should dial 999 for the emergency services in the event of a medical emergency before implementing the terms of this Policy and make clear arrangements for liaison with ambulance services on the centre site.

 

To achieve the Policy Aims, the Centre will:

  • Have suitably stocked first aid boxes;

  • Carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks posed to persons in the event that they suffer an accident, injury or ill health;

  • Appoint sufficient First Aiders to take charge of first aid.

  • Provide information to instructors and student on the arrangements for first aid.

  • Have a procedure for managing accidents.

  • Review and monitor arrangements for first aid as appropriate on a regular basis (and at the very least on an annual basis).

 

The first aid boxes are located in the downstairs gym and in the training area on the first floor.

 

Role and Responsibilities of First Aiders

 

  • The administration of First Aid, up to but not exceeding the level of their training

  • Ensuring that any incident and any treatment given is recorded in the accident book

  • Reporting immediately to the Chief Instructor, all incidents requiring the attendance of an instructor or student

  • Maintaining stocks of first aid kit/box

 

All instructors, as well as other staff members, have completed an approved first aid course and hold a valid certificate of competence in First Aid.

 

First Aid Training

 

The Chief Instructor will ensure that there are appropriate numbers of First Aiders and/or Appointed Persons at all times and will ensure that they have undergone appropriate training, refreshed at three yearly intervals. The Centre will maintain a record of employees who have undergone first aid training, which can be requested from the Centre office. All instructors must be in possession of a current First Aid certificate, which ensures that the percentage of instructors who are First Aiders is likely to be around 80% at any time.

 

First Aid Information

 

Notices are located throughout the Centre indicating the location of the first aid boxes and the names of the Centre’s First Aiders; Emergency Procedure in the event of an accident, illness or injury. If an accident, illness or injury occurs, the member of staff in charge will assess the situation and decide on the appropriate next course of action, which may involve calling immediately for an ambulance or calling for a First Aider. If summoned, a First Aider will assess the situation and take charge of first aid administration.

 

In the event that the First Aider does not consider that he/she can adequately deal with the presenting condition by the administration of first aid, then he/she should arrange for the injured person to access appropriate medical treatment without delay.

 

Ambulances

 

The first aider/appointed person are to always call an ambulance on the following occasions:

  • In the event of a serious injury

  • In the event of any significant head injury

  • In the event of a period of unconsciousness

  • Whenever there is the possibility of a fracture or where this is suspected

  • Whenever the first aider is unsure of the severity of the injuries

  • Whenever the first aider is unsure of the correct treatment

 

If an ambulance is called then the First Aider in charge should make arrangements for the ambulance to have access to the injured person. Arrangements should be made to ensure that any injured person is accompanied in an ambulance, or followed to hospital, by a member of staff until one of the instructor’s, student or parents; guardian or their named representative is present.

 

Procedure in the event of contact with blood or other bodily fluids

 

First Aiders should take the following precautions to avoid risk of infection:

 

  • cover any cuts and grazes on their own skin with a waterproof dressing;

  • wear suitable disposable gloves when dealing with blood or other bodily fluids;

  • use suitable eye protection and a disposable apron where splashing may occur;

  • use devices such as face shields, where appropriate, when giving mouth to mouth resuscitation;

  • wash hands after every procedure.

 

If a First Aider suspects that they or any other person may have been contaminated with blood and/or other bodily fluids which are not their own, the following actions should be taken without delay:

 

  • wash splashes off skin with soap and running water;

  • wash splashes out of eyes with tap water and/or an eye wash bottle;

  • wash splashes out of nose or mouth with tap water, taking care not to swallow the water;

  • record details of the contamination;

  • take medical advice (if appropriate).

 

Accident Reporting

 

All accidents, administration of first aid and/or medicine will be recorded in the Accident Report Book (First Aid Book) which is located in the Centre Office. The Record shall include:

 

  • Date, time and place of accident.

  • Name

  • Details of injury and treatment and any medication given.

  • Outcome of accident

  • Name and signature of the person or first aider dealing with incident.

 

Visits and Events off Site

 

Before undertaking any off-site events, the Chief Instructor will assess level of first aid provision required by undertaking a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the event and persons involved. When appropriate a portable first aid kit will be carried.

 

Administration of medicine (and procedures for students with medical conditions such asthma, epilepsy, diabetes etc)

 

A central list of all student’s medical conditions and any particular requirements are kept at the Centre Office. The Centre will obtain parental consent before administering any medicines to students under 18 years of age. The information held by the Centre will include a record of students who need to have access to asthma inhalers, epipens, injections or similar and information regarding relevant parental consent, as well as a record of dispensation of medication (name of student, name of medicine, date, time, dosage, signature of person who supervised).

 

Where appropriate, individual students will be given responsibility for keeping such equipment with them if Parent (if under 18 years of age) consents to the student carrying his/her own medicine. This will be reviewed on a regular basis.

 

The First Aiders will retain and administer an inhaler or Epipen for each student who is deemed not to be sufficiently competent to carry these themselves. As a general rule, First Aiders shall not administer any medication that has not been prescribed for that particular student by a doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmacist. No student shall be given medicine containing aspirin or paracetamol unless prescribed for that particular student by a doctor.

 

Storage of Medication

 

Medicines are always securely stored in accordance with individual product instructions save where individual pupils have been given responsibility for keeping such equipment with them. All medicines shall be stored in the original container in which they were dispensed, together with the prescriber’s instructions for administration and properly labeled, showing the name of the patient, the date of prescription and the date of expiry of the medicine. All medicines will be returned to the parent when no longer required to arrange for safe disposal.

 

Use of “Epipen”

 

Instructors and members of staff who have been trained in the use of the Epipen, whether by the student, user or medical staff will also be covered providing that:

 

  • the instructor or member of staff is adhering to protocols and acting within the limitations of their training and

  • that the instructor or member of staff is acting in good faith

 

 

*Where the word instructor is used, this also refers to anyone who is coaching students/members

​

​

bottom of page