UNISON, the UK’s largest education union, today welcomed the introduction of clearer legal guidance designed to help pupils with long-term medical conditions and the staff who support them. The union has campaigned long and hard to address inconsistencies in the provision of health support and the administration of medicines, which has left both pupils and the staff that provide these services vulnerable.
Jon Richards, UNISON Head of Education, said:
“We welcome this clearer, more consistent statutory guidance on supporting pupils with medical conditions. This will help enable all children to enjoy the same rights and opportunities and be fully included in every aspect of school life.
“Children should have individual healthcare plans and staff should be given the training they need to safely carry out what can sometimes be complex medical procedures, where they have agreed to do so. It is important for schools to get the balance right and for staff to feel able to deliver thatcare, without being forced to do tasks they are not trained or willing to do.
“UNISON is committed to working with schools to ensure that these new rules are implemented as quickly as possible. We will also seek to ensure that staff are properly rewarded for any additional responsibilities they take on”
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Department of Education guidance: Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions (external PDF)