A teaching assistant who had to seek emergency medical help for a child at his school has raised concerns about untrained staff providing medical assistance, calling it a risky situation. James Wilton, 35, found himself in a situation where he had to manage a child requiring an intravenous feed in a special educational needs setting within a mainstream school in Leeds. He highlighted that his training was limited to a brief PowerPoint presentation and some practical training with a tube before being left to handle the situation on his own.
While everything seemed to be going smoothly for a couple of months, there was an incident where the feed was administered at a higher rate to the child, leading to discomfort. This prompted James to call an ambulance for assistance. Although the child was ultimately fine, James expressed feelings of guilt and emphasized his care for the child.
Following the incident, an investigation was launched, but no further action was deemed necessary. James, who serves as a representative for the GMB union, felt that during the investigation, the school attempted to shift blame onto him unfairly.
Expressing his reluctance to take on medical responsibilities, James stressed that he became a teaching assistant to support education, not to provide medical care. He suggested that staff should have the option to choose whether to engage in medical interventions rather than being obligated to do so.
A recent survey conducted by the GMB union revealed that a significant number of school support staff are being tasked with medical responsibilities without adequate training. Staff members shared accounts of being required to handle insulin administration, deal with blood sugar levels, and manage other medical tasks without proper preparation, causing stress and anxiety.
Stacey Booth, GMB National Officer, expressed concern over the distressing situation where untrained school support staff are providing medical assistance to students, emphasizing the need for proper training and clear delineation of responsibilities.