First Aid In Schools

Executive, 25 February 2008

Report adopted

In November 2007 it was reported to the Executive that PSA delegates and staff had met with the DET to try to resolve the lack of School Administrative and Support Staff who volunteer for first aid.

The DET seemed quite anxious to resolve this matter. They have subsequently produced two sets of draft guidelines that did not address most of the issues we raised. After a further meeting with the OH&S Directorate a number of our concerns have now been resolved.

However, there still remain a number of major concerns about first aid in schools. These are the miserly allowance that is paid to those who volunteer for first aid duties in schools. The responsibility for stocking and replenishing ALL first aid kits in schools (extremely time consuming) and the lack of a definite commitment to provide support, in terms of increased staffing, to those who volunteer and are thereby taken away from their usual duties.

The Association has written to the Deputy Director General Workforce Management and Systems Information to inform him of these concerns and that we will not encourage our members to volunteer unless these issues are resolved.