Advice Notice Regarding Administration of Over the Counter Medication in Nurseries & Schools
Non-prescription/over the counter (OTC) medications DO NOT need a GP signature/authorisation in order for school/nursery/child-minder to give it.
The ‘Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage,’ which governs institutions looking after and caring for children used to state that all medicines needed to be prescribed by a doctor, nurse or pharmacist. This has recently been amended to only state that prescribed medication needs this in written format.
The British Medical Association has advised that MHRA licences for medicine and classifies them when appropriate as OTC, based on their safety profile. This is to enable access to those medicines without authorisation from a GP which applies to both inside and outside an educational environment.
It is appropriate for OTC medicines to be administered by a member of staff in the nursery or school, or self-administered by the pupil during school hours, following written permission by the parents s they consider necessary.
It is a misuse of GP time to take up an appointment just to acquire a prescription for a medicine just to satisfy the needs of a nursery/school. This was agreed and supported by the Department of Childrens, School and families who confirmed in a letter aFP10 is not required unless it is a prescription drug.
We hope that this explains as a Practice why we will not be providing letters/prescriptions for medication available over the counter, for example, calpol so that your child’s nursery/school/child-minder can administer them.
We are grateful for your understanding.
The Partners