Medical Centre

We ask you to complete a health questionnaire and emergency consent form IN FULL and return them to school before your child starts at Box Hill. Information supplied on the health questionnaire is confidential and is not released to other departments in the school without parent/pupil consent.

We would be grateful if you could keep us informed of changes to your child’s health status during their time at Box Hill. We DO NOT send out annual update requests, but DO expect prompt, open communication where health information changes. In cases where we are not provided with the necessary information, treatment in an emergency may be limited due to unavailable information.

All boarders will have basic health checks on admission to the school. This includes height, weight, blood pressure, basic vision testing and a discussion about their health. This information is shared with Medwyn Surgery as part of their GP registration.

The school requires up to date vaccinations. We request ALL vaccination dates from the GP’s immunisation record, a photocopy of the child’s records, or any other international vaccination certificates. We will contact you should your child require any boosters or further vaccinations. In some cases, your child may not be able to participate in sports or trips without a current DTaP/IPV.

We are keen to ensure that appropriate immunisations are given. Please inform the nursing team if any immunisations are given at home so that we can amend pupils school health records as appropriate. Central Surrey Health (CSH) come to the school annually to vaccinate for HPV (cervical cancer vaccination in Year 8) and DTaP/IPV (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis and Polio booster) and Meningitis ACWY in Years 9 & 10. Notifications will be sent out prior to these events asking for parental e-consent via the NHS portal.

Flu vaccinations are only offered to those boarders with medical needs.

All boarders are registered under the National Health Service with the School Doctor. They are entitled to medical treatment including hospital care under the NHS.

The nursing team work closely with Dr Raj Sekhon and Dr Louise Tomei (school doctors) and the Medwyn Surgery team. Medwyn provide protected time slots on a Monday and Friday lunchtimes, which pupils can access via the school Medical Centre for non-emergencies. For more urgent needs, the student is triaged by the duty doctor and advised accordingly. Most students will be escorted to their appointment by a member of the nursing team. The cost of transport/taxis etc. will be recharged to their school account.

Parents and/or guardians will be contacted, if appropriate, if a student is unwell or needs to see a doctor.

A student who is registered with Medwyn Surgery and who needs to see another doctor during the holidays should be registered as a temporary patient with his/her doctor at home.

In the case of an emergency, everything possible is done to contact parents/guardians immediately. In exceptional cases however, if this is not possible, the Head (or authorised deputy) must act in loco parentis and in such circumstances, has the right to authorise medical and surgical treatment, including the administration of anaesthetic. Pupils over the age of 16 are permitted to give their own consent to medical treatment.

Pupils will normally be admitted under the NHS. If parents would prefer, or are insured for, private medical care they should include details of the relevant policy.

Where a pupil needs medical attention outside school, they would normally be accompanied by a member of staff. The cost of transport/taxis etc. will be recharged to their school account.

The school provide over the counter medications such as paracetamol. Pupils must not bring these medications into school. The school policy is that all prescribed medications brought into school should be clearly labelled with the pupils name and must be handed in to the nursing team. All prescribed medications must have a consent form attached (please e-mail nurses@boxhillschool.com for the form)

We advise asthmatic pupils to always keep a spare inhaler with the nursing team as well as one with them. Pupils with Adrenaline Auto Injector pens (AAIs) are required to keep one with them and a spare which is held centrally at Dalewood reception in case of emergencies. Two AAI pens are required for all school trips. All pupils bringing their own prescribed medications into school who wish to self-medicate, must see the School Nurse to be assessed and sign a self-medication form to meet School and ISI guidelines.

Routine dental work and optician appointments should be arranged by parents or guardians during the school holidays. We will, however, deal with any emergencies during the term. Private orthodontic work can be arranged for boarders only. The nursing team are happy to facilitate private physio, chiropractic, and sports massage sessions etc, if required.

The nursing team actively promote health and wellbeing through teaching and advice in the Medical Centre. The Medical Centre holds a wealth of information leaflets on many medical issues for the pupils to read. The team are available to all pupils throughout the school.

The Medical Centre comprises of five beds, two shower rooms, three offices and a waiting area. The nursing team are responsible for all medical issues around the school. There are first aid kits available in most departments and two defibrillators located in the staff room and the sports centre. The nurses have a wide range of medical policies some of which can be found on the school website, others are available on request. These are reviewed regularly in accordance with governance.