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Schools asked GP practices to indemnify their use of adrenaline for allergies

Schools have asked GPs to indemnify their use of emergency adrenaline auto-injectors for allergies against all claims, according to GP leaders in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.

Practices in the region reported the requests to their local LMC, arguing it was not possible for them to know what training the staff administrating the treatment have had.

Local GP leaders warned practices not to sign any such requests and called on the schools to train their staff appropriately.

In a news update to local GPs, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire LMC said: ‘The LMC has been made aware of some forms from schools relating to emergency adrenaline auto-injectors where schools ask practices to sign up to a statement.’

According to the LMC, the statement said: ‘We agree to indemnify the head teacher, the school staff and the local authority against all claims, costs, actions and demands whatsoever resulting from the administration of the medicine unless such claim, costs, actions or demands result out of the negligence of the head teacher, the school’s staff or the local authority.’

The LMC added: ‘LMC members were concerned, as GPs can have no knowledge of the training that school staff have had. It was felt that schools needed to discharge their own duty of care for their pupils and to train their staff accordingly.

‘The LMC’s advice is not to sign forms indemnifying other organisations.’

It said that practices are only required to issue the ‘necessary prescription for the child’.

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire LMC chief executive Dr Peter Graves told Pulse that following the LMC’s advice, ‘no school has approached us to express its concern’.

He added: ‘If they do, we will go to the council’s education department to ask for their view and point out how impossible this would be.’

Last year, English schools were told they could now purchase adrenaline auto-injector devices without a prescription for emergency use when children at risk of anaphylaxis have issues with their device, such as it not being available or not working.

Schools have previously said pupils will need a note from their GP to excuse them from PE lessons, in an attempt to tackle false sick notes.

 


          

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