Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential risks associated with schools and school staff taking responsibility for healthcare activities instructed by health professionals, such as clinical and liability risks.

Under Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014, governing bodies of maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units must make arrangements to support pupils with medical conditions. Statutory guidance makes clear that staff providing support should be appropriately trained and competent, and that this support is delivered in line with individual healthcare plans agreed with parents and relevant healthcare professionals.

Schools are not responsible for clinical healthcare tasks. Healthcare tasks can be delegated to staff in schools and other education settings where the responsible healthcare professional considers delegation safe and appropriate.

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) both include a regulatory standard requiring registrants to delegate only when they are satisfied that the other person is competent to carry out the delegated task safely and require the healthcare practitioner to supervise and support those who are delegated to. Further information is available at: https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/code/ and https://www.hcpc-uk.org/standards/standards-of-conduct-performance-and-ethics/.

The department and the Department of Health and Social Care will publish guidance on clinical healthcare in schools in due course.