Introduction
This policy is a statement of the principles and procedures regarding first aid and prescribed and non-prescribed medicines for participants at Northern Ballet.
Aims and objectives:
- To ensure that participants receive appropriate first aid when necessary.
- To ensure that staff and participants have a common understanding regarding the administering of medicines when adults at risk are at Northern Ballet.
- To ensure that adults at risk with medical needs receive proper care and support.
Roles and Responsibilities: Guardians
It is the responsibility of the participant and/or their carer to:
- Inform Northern Ballet of their medical needs
- Ensure that Northern Ballet has the most recent emergency contact details for them
Participants must provide any medication in a container clearly labelled with the following:
- The participant’s name
- Name of medicine
- Dose and frequency of medication (with applicator/measuring spoon)
- Any special storage arrangements
- Collect and dispose of any medications held at Northern Ballet at the end of each term
- Ensure that medicines have NOT passed the expiry date
Participant Information
At the start of each academic year, the participant and/or their carer should give the following information about their long-term medical needs, via the programme registration process. The information must be updated as and when required, and at least annually.
- Details of their medical needs;
- Medication including any side effects;
- Allergies;
- Name of GP/Consultants;
- Special requirements e.g. dietary needs, pre-activity precautions;
- What to do and who to contact in an emergency;
- Cultural and religious views regarding medical care.
Administering Emergency First Aid
If a participant requires first aid, where possible, we will gain consent from the adult for a qualified first aider to administer the appropriate treatment in accordance with their training. If the person is not able to consent, due to being unable to respond, the first aider will assume consent and administer first aid, in line with their training. If deemed necessary, a staff member will call 999 for emergency medical response, and follow any guidance/instructions from the emergency services.
Should an adult at risk be required to go to hospital, Northern Ballet will:
- Ensure the adult at risk is safe to travel (if not traveling via ambulance).
- If deemed necessary, a member of Northern Ballet staff will accompany the adult at risk to the hospital (if not in an ambulance, then in a taxi, paid for by Northern Ballet). The staff member will be a trained First Aider and hold an enhanced DBS. If accompaniment is not necessary, Northern Ballet will still cover the cost of the taxi.
- Contact the adult at risk’s emergency contact to ensure they are informed, and kept up to date with any progress or treatment.
- Stay with the adult at risk until they have been registered by the hospital staff, and is safe to be left unaccompanied.
If any carer wishes to refuse emergency first aid on behalf of the adult at risk they support, they should inform the programme manager at the beginning of the year, or when starting a programme. This should be in writing and detail the following:
- Name of adult at risk
- Class/course attended
- Statement to refuse emergency first aid
Records
Each time first aid is given to a participant, a record needs to be kept for the Health & Safety Committee. All instances need to be recorded, but details of personal information do not need to be shared with the committee. If you do not wish for your personal data to be shared with the Health & Safety Committee, please ensure your registration form states this clearly. The first aid log records the following:
- Name of participant;
- Date and time of administration;
- Who administered the first aid and what action was taken;
- Possible cause of first aid requirement;
- Recommended next steps.
Administering Medication
We expect participants to administer medication at home wherever possible. This means that where the administration of medicine during time at Northern Ballet can be avoided it should be. Prescribed medication will not be administered without prior written permission from the carers of adults at risk, including written medical authority if the medicine needs to be altered (e.g. crushing of tablets). Equally, staff will not give a non-prescribed medicine to a participant unless there is specific prior written permission with a valid reason for the administration of the medicine from the carer. A Medical Permission Form (appendix i.i) must be completed and signed in all cases.
The relevant Northern Ballet programme manager will determine if medication is to be administered on site, and by whom, following consultation with staff. All medicine will normally be administered during breaks and lunchtimes. If, for medical reasons, medicine has to be taken during the day, arrangements will be made for the medicine to be administered at other prescribed times. Participants will be told where their medication is kept and who will administer, and supervise it.
Any member of staff giving medicine to a participant, should check on each occasion:
- Name of participant;
- Medical permission form completed;
- Prescribed dose;
- Expiry date.
Written permission from carers will be required for adults at risk to self-administer medicine(s) via the Medical Permission Form.
Carrying Medicines
For safety reasons, participants are not allowed to carry medication unless agreed on an individual basis. Such arrangements will only be agreed after completion of the Medical Permission Form. All other medicines must be handed to the programme manager on entry to the Northern Ballet premises.
Storage
All medicine, in the care of Northern Ballet, must be stored strictly in accordance with product instructions (paying particular note to temperature) and in the original container in which dispensed. In most instances medication will be kept in an administration office. All medicine will be logged onto the medical file. Class teachers may store participant’s inhalers which must be labelled with the participant’s name. All emergency medicines, such as inhalers and adrenaline pens, must be readily available to participants. Programme Managers will be responsible for storing EPI-Pens.
Some medicines may need to be refrigerated. They can be kept in a refrigerator containing food but must be in an airtight container and clearly labelled. There must be restricted access to a refrigerator holding medicines. There is a refrigerator located in the Academy of Northern Ballet office for such purposes.
Records
Each time medication is given to a participant, a member of staff will complete the medication log which records the following:
- Name of participant;
- Date and time of administration;
- Who supervised the administration;
- Name of medication;
- Dosage;
- Reason for medication being administered;
- A note of any side effects;
- If medicine has been altered for administration (e.g. crushing tablets) and authority for doing so.
Refusing medication
If a participant refuses to take their medication, no Northern Ballet staff member will force them to do so. Carers will be informed as soon as possible. Refusal to take medication will be recorded and dated on the participant’s record sheet. Reasons for refusal and any action then taken by the staff member will also be recorded.
Emergency Procedures
The Programme Manager will ensure that all staff are aware of Northern Ballet’s planned emergency procedures in the event of medical needs.
Medical Alert
It is likely that there will some participants attending Northern Ballet with a range of medical needs which need to be known by staff members. Details of any medical needs should be updated annually, as a minimum via the programme registration form.
Administering First Aid and Medicine Policy reviewed an updated August 2026.