Staff Training

The benefits of all school staff being trained include:

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Increased preparedness for anaphylaxis and reduced risk of negative outcomes

Number 2

Increased staff confidence to respond to emergencies

Number 3

Less anxiety felt by pupils with severe allergies and their parents/carers

Important information - be aware
'Hesitation to administer adrenaline via an AAI in the event of anaphylaxis is associated with and increased risk of poor outcomes'

Scottish Government guidance on staff training

The Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions at School Guidance by the Go to websiteScottish Government state that, at a minimum, all staff should:

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Be trained to have a basic understanding of anaphylaxis.

Recognise the signs and symptoms of mild –moderate and severe reactions.

Be aware of the anaphylaxis emergency response protocol.

If there are pupils at risk of anaphylaxis enrolled at school, specialist anaphylaxis training should be organised for all staff members, including the senior management team.

More guidance on training

The British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology recommends that refresher training should be completed annually by all staff.

Ideally Head Teachers should engage with the local authority to identify the protocol for training arrangements. The health services within the local health board and the local authority should work together to develop a suitable training strategy.

If accredited, face-to-face training is not yet offered or available, the following e-learning resources may be helpful:

Useful information - take note
School staff can improve their practical skills in administering adrenaline auto-injector by practicing with training devices.
Schools can request free training devices from the Go to websiteEpiPen or Go to websiteJext or Go to websiteEmerade websites.