New Website Provides Vital Information On Looking After School Children With Medical Conditions, UK

Main Category: Respiratory / Asthma
Also Included In: IT / Internet / E-mail;  Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 29 Feb 2008 - 4:00 PST

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A new website, http://www.medicalconditionsatschool.org.uk, is being launched at the Education Show by Asthma UK, The Anaphylaxis Campaign, the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, Diabetes UK, Epilepsy Action and the Long-Term Conditions Alliance, to provide vital resources that will help schools create a safe environment for children living with a medical condition.

One of the resources available to download from the new website is 'Medical Conditions at School: A Policy Resource', which enables schools to set up one overall policy to support school children with medical conditions. It is recommended that all schools have such a policy in place in order to ensure that their pupils receive a consistently high standard of care.

The pack provides comprehensive awareness information on anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes and epilepsy, four medical conditions that can have a significant and potentially life-threatening impact on a child or young person's time at school.

It includes a policy framework, an example policy and guidance to help schools develop their own policy, useful forms - including a comprehensive Healthcare Plan which details medical information on the child's condition, and awareness and emergency information for the four key medical conditions.

A second resource, 'Medical Conditions Awareness Sessions', is an ideal tool for school healthcare professionals such as school nurses to use with school staff to raise awareness and understanding of anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy and cystic fibrosis.

Jenny Parry, Children & Young People's Development Manager at Asthma UK comments:

'It is vital that children who have a medical condition feel supported at school and that they and their parents know that the school environment is safe. We hope that head teachers and school staff will use these resources to implement a medical conditions policy. This will help ensure that all staff know how to support children and young people with these conditions on a day-to-day basis and what to do if an emergency occurs whilst they are at school.'

Notes

1. For further information, contact the Asthma UK media office on 020 7786 4949 or at mediaoffice@asthma.org.uk.

2. If you are a school healthcare professional and would like more information about the Medical Conditions Awareness Sessions: A School Healthcare Professional's Resource, please call 08456 038 143 or visit http://www.medicalconditionsatschool.org.uk

3. The Anaphylaxis Campaign is a national registered charity that provides information and support to the growing number of people with life-threatening allergies, particularly to foods such as peanut. It also works vigorously to educate child-carers (eg schools and pre-schools), the food industry and health professionals. For further information please contact Vicky Field on 01252 893861 or visit http://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk

4. Asthma UK is the charity dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the 5.2 million people in the UK whose lives are affected by asthma. For further information visit http://www.asthma.org.uk

5. Diabetes UK is the largest organisation in the UK working for people with diabetes, funding research, campaigning and helping people live with the condition.

6. Our mission is to improve the lives of people with diabetes and to work towards a future without diabetes. For more information visit http:// www.diabetes.org.uk. For support and information about diabetes call the Diabetes UK Careline on 0845 120 2960.

7. For further information about epilepsy, contact Keeley Eastwood, Epilepsy Action press officer, on 0113 210 8870. Epilepsy is Britain's most common serious neurological condition affecting an estimated 1 in 131 people. Epilepsy Action works with people living with epilepsy throughout the UK, providing advice, information and support. Epilepsy Action operates an Epilepsy Helpline freephone 0808 800 5050 and website on http://www.epilepsy.org.uk

8. The Long-term Conditions Alliance (LTCA) is the umbrella body for national voluntary organisations working to meet the needs of the UK's 17 million people with long-term health conditions and their carers. For further information visit http://www.ltca.org.uk.

Asthma UK