# Insulin and Needles having to be locked away at school



## laraloulouangel (Sep 6, 2013)

Hi

My daughter is 8 and has had type 1 for 4 years.

Her primary school have been great and very supportive, and every year she has moved up a class with a new teacher either my husband or I have provided training for them.

This year however my daughters Diabetic Nurse has been involved and is insisting her insulin and needles be locked away under key, separate from the rest of her kit. This means at lunchtime she had to go to the school office to retrieve her insulin every lunchtime and obviously at the start and end of school.

My daughter is only 8 and I think it is unfair on her and making her life just a bit more difficult having diabetes. Apparently the Diabetic Nurse has stated if the school does not adhere to this they will receive a failure under an Ofsted audit and subsequent report.

Please could anyone advise whether they have encountered this with their children's schools? I have searched the net and cannot find anything which supports this rule.

Regards
Claire


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## delb t (Sep 6, 2013)

Our son is in 6th form - he has a spare everything in the school admin office-  spare insulin in fridge .But he carries his own set of stuff for lunch around with him.Sounds a daft new rule theyve brought in!-  welcome by the way


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## LeeLee (Sep 6, 2013)

If you ask why and she claims the usual 'elf and safety, contact the HSE.  It's really easy to do via their website, and you should get a fairly prompt reply.  Good luck!


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## HOBIE (Sep 6, 2013)

It is dangerus stuff in the wrong hands, may be thats why ?  Good luck


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## Pumper_Sue (Sep 6, 2013)

laraloulouangel said:


> Hi
> 
> My daughter is 8 and has had type 1 for 4 years.
> 
> ...



A child of that age should not be carrying around insulin imho. 
But there is no reason what so ever that the teacher can not keep it in her desk in a lockable container if necessary, thus your daughter does not have to go traipsing all around the district to get her insulin or made to feel different.


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## Redkite (Sep 6, 2013)

Hi and welcome to the forum 

If you and the school are happy to continue with your previous procedures then just go ahead and ignore the nurse.  She is there in an advisory capacity only, and it is up to the Headteacher and Governing Body to decide, in line with the school's policies on Managing Medicines in School and Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions.

On a practical level, the school can easily keep your daughter's injection pen and needles safe in her classroom.  They have a duty to provide a safe place for her to inject, and must also ensure that other children are safe from possible needlestick injury, and that the needles are safely disposed of.  But all this can be done in any location, including the dining hall, with appropriate support/supervision from staff.  The nurse is following hospital rules, where insulin has to be under lock and key.

My son carried all his diabetes kit around with him at middle school (Y5-7) from the age of 9 (including lancets and used sharps), he is on an insulin pump so didn't carry an injection pen, but would have been allowed to if he'd had one.  The school was rated outstanding by Ofsted when they inspected it a year ago, and they made special mention in their report of the school's excellent support of "a pupil with a complex medical condition".  So stand your ground!


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## Tina63 (Sep 11, 2013)

That word OFSTED sends shivers down any school teacher, so if the nurse has said Ofsted won't allow the needles and insulin to be carried around, I can see you having a fight getting this reversed.  My son was much older but always carried all his kit around with him, the only thing the nurse kept locked in her room was hypo treatments!

I agree with others though, the school could keep the equipment locked anywhere, the classroom included.  Is it worth just permanently leaving one meter and strips, a pen, box of needles and box of spare insulin (kept in fridge) so she doesn't have to take it backwards and forwards each day?  The only danger there is not being 100% aware when she needs replacements of anything.

Good luck!


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## XandersMum (Sep 23, 2013)

Hi

My DS is 8.  From day 1 all of his things have been kept in the office, we keep a full set of everything at school so he is not carrying back and forward.  We have a communication book which he keeps in his lunchbag where we note his unit requirements for lunch etc.. and they write down his lunchtime BG and also if he needs spares of anything.  I also think at their age they shouldnt be carrying stuff around with them but we are lucky as its a small school and his equipment is never far away.


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## Caroline (Oct 17, 2013)

at the school my 9 year old attends ALL medication is kept in the office and the office staff are trained to give any medication needed. The logic is the office staff are always in the office so easier to find, a teacher or class room/teaching assistant can be anywhere in the school to it is more difficult to respond quickly


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