Medication & First Aid Policy

How St Mary's College administers medication and provides first aid: the Medication Authority Form, how medication is stored and logged, what happens when a student is injured or unwell, and when parents will be phoned.

Updated 14 August 2026

Children get sick, scrape knees and sometimes need medication during the school day. This policy explains how St Mary's College manages medication and first aid so that students receive safe, timely care and parents always know what has happened. Our College First Aid Officer, Mrs Julie Sanders, is based in the First Aid Room next to the Junior office and can be contacted at firstaid@stmaryswc.vic.edu.au.

Purpose

To set out the procedures for storing and administering medication to students, and for providing first aid, in line with Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) guidelines and the College's duty of care.

Scope

This policy applies to all students Prep–Year 12 during school hours, at OSHC handover, at sport and training, and on excursions and camps. Anaphylaxis and asthma have their own detailed policies, which take precedence for those conditions.

Policy statement

The College administers medication only with written parental authority, in accordance with the instructions on the pharmacy label, and only when it cannot reasonably be given outside school hours. First aid is provided by trained staff, every injury is recorded, and parents are notified promptly, always by phone for head injuries or anything requiring further medical attention.

Procedures

Medication

Medication must be handed to the Junior or Senior office by a parent, not sent in a school bag, in the original pharmacy-labelled packaging with a completed Medication Authority Form. The form is available under Parent Portal > Forms, or on paper from either office, and must be signed by the parent.
For prescription medication needed for more than 10 school days, the form must also be signed by the prescribing doctor.
Medication is stored in the locked cabinet in the First Aid Room (a fridge is available). Junior doses are administered by the First Aid Officer or trained office staff and logged in the Medication Register by two staff members. Senior students attend the First Aid Room at the scheduled time and the dose is logged by one staff member.
Students in Years 7–12 may carry their own asthma reliever and adrenaline autoinjector; all other medication is held in the First Aid Room. Junior students do not carry medication other than a reliever where the Asthma Care Plan specifies it.
Paracetamol and other analgesics are not stocked for students and are never given without a Medication Authority Form and a phone call to a parent on the day.
Unused medication is returned to parents at the end of each term; out-of-date medication is not administered.

First aid

Staff on yard duty and all PE staff hold Level 2 First Aid; every excursion carries a first aid kit and a trained staff member.
Minor injuries are treated in the First Aid Room. Junior students take home a First Aid Notification slip and a Parent Portal notification is sent; Senior families receive the Portal notification.
Head injuries are always phoned through to parents, however minor. Students who are unwell and need to go home are kept in the First Aid Room until collected; parents are asked to arrive within an hour where possible.
Where an injury or illness is serious, staff call 000 first and then parents. Parents are responsible for ambulance costs, and the College strongly encourages Ambulance Victoria membership.
Every treatment is recorded in the First Aid Register, reviewed monthly by the Deputy Principal – Wellbeing & Mission.

Responsibilities

Parents and carers

Keep emergency contacts and medical information current in the Parent Portal (see Medical Forms & Health).
Deliver medication and forms personally; collect unused medication at term end.
Keep unwell children at home and be reachable during the school day.

Students

Tell a teacher immediately if you feel unwell or are hurt; never share medication.
Senior students carrying a reliever or autoinjector keep it with them, not in a locker.

Staff

Follow the procedures above, record every incident, and never administer medication without authority.
Report first aid stock needs to the First Aid Officer.

Review

Policy owner: Deputy Principal – Wellbeing & Mission. Approved by the College Leadership Team February 2026; ratified by the College Advisory Council; next review February 2028.

Frequently asked questions

Can I send antibiotics in my child's lunchbox with a note?

No. Medication must be handed to the office by a parent with a completed Medication Authority Form. Most antibiotic courses can be scheduled for morning, after school and bedtime, so a school dose is often not needed; ask your pharmacist.

Will the school give my child Panadol for a headache?

Only if you have lodged a Medication Authority Form and provided the medication, and only after we have phoned you on the day. We do not keep paracetamol for students.

What happens if my child hits their head at recess?

They are assessed in the First Aid Room and we phone you regardless of how minor it seems. You will also receive a Portal notification. If there are any signs of concussion we will ask you to collect your child and see a doctor.

Who pays if an ambulance is called?

The family. Ambulance Victoria membership is inexpensive and covers the whole household; we recommend it to every family.

How is medication handled on camp?

Medication is handed to the camp leader on departure in original packaging with the Medication Authority Form, and administered and logged by the camp first aider. See the Excursions & Camps Policy.