Northland School Board of Trustees

Communicable Diseases Policy

Rationale

Northland School is required under the National Education Guidelines to provide a safe physical environment for students.
As a good employer under the State Sector Act 1989, Northland School is responsible for providing a safe physical environment for staff.

Purposes

• To ensure that Northland School meets its responsibilities to provide a safe physical environment for students, staff and visitors.
• To support immunisation as a means of reducing the spread of disease.
• To recognise that people with blood-borne viruses (HIV, hepatitis A, B and C) are healthy, able to work and study, need a supportive environment and are of little risk to others when the appropriate safety precautions are followed.
• To ensure the disclosure of health status information complies with the principles of the Privacy Act 1993.

Guidelines

Health promotion
• The school will have standard safety and hygiene procedures to control infection. All staff should be fully aware of the procedures, and training should be provided where necessary.
• Staff will be kept informed of current practices to prevent the spread of communicable disease within the school community.
• Staff will be adequately trained and resourced to provide health education to students on issues related to communicable diseases.

Immunisation promotion
• Staff will be encouraged to be immunised against hepatitis B and seasonal influenza.
• Parents and caregivers will be encouraged to provide confirmation of their child’s immunisation status on enrolment. If there are no immunisation records, parents will be asked to consent to a public health nurse obtaining this information from the family doctor.

Infection control
• The board and staff will follow directions from the Ministry of Health, the local Medical Officer of Health or their approved designates on closing or opening the school in the event of a pandemic.

Privacy and freedom from discrimination
• While disclosure of medical information is voluntary, the board encourages parents to inform the principal if their child has a communicable disease. With the approval of parents, the principal may discuss this disclosure with relevant staff, in order for them to be able to take any necessary steps to support the child’s health and wellbeing.
• Staff and students who are known hepatitis carriers or who are HIVpositive will not be discriminated against in employment or enrolment.
• Health information will be stored and used according to the principles of the Privacy Act 1993.
• Procedures are in place for the disposal of any personal health information.

Approved: 11 December 2009

Review Date: 2012