Health Care Needs

1. The 4 stages of developing a Student Health Support Plan

Schools must follow the 4 stages to develop a Student Health Support Plan (DOCX) or any other specific health management plan – for example, the anaphylaxis management plan.

A student health support plan is required for students who:

• need medical or health-related support at school
• have health care needs or conditions that may impact the student at school
• have health care needs or conditions that may impact their engagement and participation in education.

Stage 1 – Before enrolment

Principals must inform parents or carers about the school’s Health care needs policy (staff login required) for supporting student health prior to and on enrolment, such as:

• enrolment and transition packs
• parent information sessions
• school website.

Stage 2 – When a need is identified

Principals must ensure that parents/carers provide accurate information about a student’s:

• routine health care support needs, such as supervision for medication
• personal care support needs, such as assistance with personal hygiene, continence care, eating and drinking, transfers and positioning, and use of health-related equipment
• emergency care needs, such as predictable emergency first aid associated with an allergic reaction, seizure management, anaphylaxis, or diabetes.

Schools must determine whether a Student Health Support Plan is needed based on the received information. A Student Health Support Plan is not required for students:

• who do not need any medical or health-related supports or adjustments at school
• with anaphylaxis or an allergy – refer to Anaphylaxis and Allergies about the requirements for those conditions
• with well-controlled asthma that does not need any individualised supervision or care as per their provided Asthma Action Plan – refer to Asthma
• with an Epilepsy Management Plan and Epilepsy Medication Management Plan – refer to Epilepsy and Seizures.

Health information collection and recordkeeping

Schools may request relevant information from, or share relevant information with all authorised services under the Child Information Sharing Scheme or the Family Violence Information Sharing Scheme.

Schools must ensure that parents, carers and students are informed about how their personal information will be used and who it might be disclosed to, such as school nurses.

The Student Health Support Plan (DOCX) includes an information collection notice and records parent or carer, or adult and mature minor consent to the notice.

Schools should store information on CASES21 about:

• the student’s health condition
• medication to be stored and supervised at school.

Refer to Privacy and Information Sharing including health information, and the Child and Family Violence Information Sharing Schemes policies.

All plans and forms are to be kept in accordance with the retention disposal authorities listed in the School records retention guide (XLSX) (staff login required). When plans and forms no longer need to be kept, the school must dispose of records as outlined in the Records Management policy and guidance.

Stage 3 – Planning process

The below information describes how schools plan for a student with health care needs to attend school, camps and excursions.

Step 1 – Medical advice from the student’s medical/ health practitioner

The student’s medical practitioner or treating health team provides written advice that:

• guides the planning
• details:
  • the student’s medical condition
  • medication required at school
  • recommended emergency and routine health and personal care support for the student.

Step 2 – Camps and excursions

The Student Health Support Plan provides an early opportunity to identify and anticipate supports for excursions and camps.

Refer to the department's policy on Excursions for further information, including medical information forms.

Step 3 – Meeting with students and parents or carers

The principal or nominee organises a meeting to discuss the plan with:

• the student
• parents or carers
• other school staff, if required.

The plan must be developed shortly after the school has received the medical advice from the student’s medical or health practitioner.

If there is a time delay between receiving this advice and developing the plan, the school may put in place an interim support plan containing an agreed strategy, such as calling an ambulance.

Stage 4 – Monitoring, communication and review

The Student Health Support Plan must be reviewed:

• when updated information is received from the student’s medical or health practitioner
• if there is a change in needs or level of support, including where a student is learning to independently manage their condition
• when the school, student, parents or carers have concerns about the support being provided.

Otherwise, schools are recommended at least annually to review the Student Health Support Plan, and communicate with the parent or carer to:

• if available, provide updated medical or health advice
• review and provide written confirmation that the Student Health Support Plan is current.

Obtaining timely and current medical or health advice

The advice received from the medical or health practitioner is reviewed annually unless it is agreed that the annual review of the plan is not required. In this case, it is up to the principal’s discretion whether to request updated medical information.

Schools are entitled to request parents or carers to provide written confirmation from the student’s treating health team, particularly where the parent or carer requests:

• deviation from standard first aid or emergency procedures, including asthma and anaphylaxis first aid
• significant or unanticipated change to current levels of care or support, including withdrawal of care.

There may be instances where families must wait for appointments or reviews from their treating health team. Despite best efforts by the school and family, if there is a delay obtaining updated health advice, action or management plans, schools may:

• request the parent or carer to provide interim written advice from the treating health team confirming a change to medical or health advice – for example, email from a clinical nurse consultant
• with consent from the parent or carer, directly contact the treating health team for interim written advice.

Withdrawal of health care needs or plans

Parents or carers must notify the school in writing if their child does not need medical or health-related supports anymore.

Schools are entitled to request written advice from the student’s treating health team to confirm any withdrawal in care, particularly where there is:

• deviation from standard first aid or emergency procedures, including asthma and anaphylaxis first aid
• significant or unanticipated change to current levels of care or support.