In accordance with BCE's Student Medical Policies, parents and legal guardians are required to review and comply with the relevant information and policies if their child requires medication while attending school, participating in school activities, or attending College excursions and camps.
If your child requires medication or has a medical condition that the College needs to be aware of, please ensure all relevant forms are completed and submitted, along with any required medication, prior to the commencement of the 2027 school year.
If you have any questions regarding these policies and procedures, please contact STMC Student Reception directly via email studentreception@stmc.qld.edu.au or phone (07) 3323 4600 - press 4.
Procedures are as followed:
All medication to be administered (given) to your child by school staff must be medically authorised by your child’s registered health practitioner.
Medication includes:
- Over-the-counter medicines - can be purchased from supermarkets, health food stores or on-line retailers. Examples include paracetamol, ibuprofen, antihistamines, alternative medicines, supplements, vitamins, etc.
- Pharmacy medicines - can only be purchased from a pharmacy. Examples include cough and cold medicines, heart burn.
- Pharmacist only medicines - can only be purchased from a pharmacy after speaking with the pharmacist. Examples include asthma inhalers, EpiPens, mild steroid creams, glucagon (hypokit).
- Prescription only medicines - can only be purchased from a pharmacy with a valid prescription from a treating health practitioner.
- Controlled drugs - such as Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Artige, Concerta), Dexamfetamine sulfate (Aspen, Sigma), Lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse), opioid pain medication, etc.
The “Request to Administer Medication” form must be completed by a parent/legal guardian for all school administered medication. The parent/legal guardian must provide an updated form for any changes to your child’s medication requirements. This includes ceasing medication.
- The first dose of a new medication should not be administered at school, due to the potential dangers of an adverse reaction.
- Medical authorisation is provided via the pharmacy label which will include the name of your child’s registered health practitioner, who prescribed the medication for use. The pharmacy label should also detail when and how the medication is to be administered.
- All medication must be received in its original or pharmacy packaging with the pharmacy label attached to the original/pharmacy packaging. Medication must be in the most recently dispensed, original/pharmacy packaging. Refilled, previously dispensed packaging, will not be accepted by the school.
- If your child takes a medicine that requires cutting of a tablet, the tablet must be pre-cut and packaged by a pharmacist (in a Webster-Pak or similar) prior to providing the medicine to the school.
- Medication, not approved for self-administration, must be delivered by a parent/ legal guardian to Student Reception and handed to Miss Molly McEldowney, or Mrs Sally Winter only. If exceptional circumstances exist (e.g., independent students, adult students) please contact Student Reception.
- Medication held by the school, that is no longer required for your child or is unused at the end of the school year, must be collected by a parent/legal guardian as soon as possible. Medication cannot be sent home with your child. If a parent/legal guardian is unable to collect the medication within a reasonable time, it will be taken to a local pharmacy.
Additional Written Instructions:
If your child has been prescribed medication that is to be administered on an ‘as needed’ basis, additional written instruction from your child’s registered health practitioner will be required to ensure safe medication administration.
Written instructions must be provided in the following approved form:
A "BCE Medication Administration Instructions" form will also be required where there is insufficient information on the pharmacy label and/or associated action/management plans to enable safe administration of medication, such as changes to dose, time of administration, signs/symptoms to indicate the need for medication administration etc. All medications you provide for the school to administer to your child must be prescribed by a qualified health practitioner who is authorised to prescribe medications.
Self- administration:
We understand that self-management of health conditions encourages children and teens to build independence, recognise the signs/symptoms of their health condition, and administer their own medication (including pain relief, asthma inhalers, antihistamines, etc), when required. Parents/legal guardians can request for their child to self-administer medication by completing the "Request for Student to Self-administer Medication " form. Self-administration of medication must be approved by the Principal or their delegate. Approved students must comply with the self-administration agreement at all times.
Schedule 8 Medications (Controlled Drugs) are not permitted for self-administration e.g., ADHD medications.
Approval may be refused or withdrawn by the Principal at any time, based on the risks and impacts to the school, including staff and other students.