The Actor's Lounge – Medical Conditions Policy

The Actor's Lounge Ltd (The Actor’s Lounge) is committed to providing a safe, inclusive, and supportive learning environment for all adults who engage with our activities. This policy sets out the reasonable and proportionate steps the organisation takes to support individuals with medical conditions that may affect their participation or safety, and to respond appropriately should a medical issue arise during activities.

The Actor's Lounge works exclusively with adults aged 18 and over. While some medical conditions can be serious and, in rare cases, life-threatening, this policy recognises adult autonomy and personal responsibility in managing health needs. It does not guarantee that medical incidents will not occur, but sets out how foreseeable risks are reduced and managed in an adult learning environment, balancing health and safety duties with informed choice and independence.

This policy applies to all teaching, rehearsals, workshops, and events delivered by The Actor's Lounge, across all venues including hired and third-party spaces, and to all staff, freelancers, tutors (including guest tutors), students, and visitors.

The Actor's Lounge takes medical needs seriously and responds proportionately, promoting awareness rather than alarm and fostering a culture of shared responsibility and respect. Risk management is approached in a way that supports inclusion without medicalising learning spaces or placing inappropriate responsibility on tutors.

All students are required to provide an emergency contact name and telephone number, along with any medical information or additional needs that will help the organisation support them effectively. Students are given the opportunity to share this information at registration and are encouraged to update it at any time. Medical information should be shared at enrolment, onboarding, or at the earliest reasonable opportunity by contacting support@theactorslounge.co.uk. Failure to disclose relevant medical information may limit the organisation’s ability to implement appropriate support or risk-reduction measures.

Relevant medical information will be shared strictly on a need-to-know basis with tutors, the Director of Operations (Designated Safeguarding Lead), and relevant staff, and will be handled in line with the organisation’s Data Protection and GDPR Policy.

Nut Allergies

The Actor's Lounge recognises that nut allergies can be severe and potentially life-threatening. The organisation is not, and cannot guarantee to be, a nut-free environment. Risk reduction relies on cooperation, awareness, and shared responsibility rather than enforcement.

Individuals with nut allergies are responsible for managing their own condition. This includes carrying prescribed medication (such as adrenaline auto-injectors) at all times, ensuring medication is in date, avoiding known triggers where possible, and informing tutors immediately if they feel unwell. Individuals are encouraged to keep medication on their person or in a clearly accessible location and to inform tutors where it is kept.

The Actor's Lounge will take reasonable steps to reduce foreseeable allergy-related risks where practicable. This may include discouraging the use of nut-containing food where a known allergy has been disclosed, encouraging clear food labelling, avoiding the use of nut products as props or teaching tools, promoting good hygiene practices, and considering allergy risks as part of session planning and venue risk assessments. Where a severe allergy is known, tutors may remind the group of agreed precautions without singling individuals out.

If someone shows signs of an allergic reaction, the situation must be taken seriously and acted on immediately. The individual should be supported to access and use their own prescribed medication. An ambulance must be called immediately by dialling 999 if symptoms are severe, worsening, involve breathing difficulties, collapse, loss of consciousness, or if there is any doubt about severity.

Staff and tutors are not expected to provide medical care. Freelance tutors are not medically trained and are not required to administer medication. However, staff or tutors may assist an individual to use their own prescribed adrenaline auto-injector if requested and if they feel confident and competent to do so. UK law protects individuals who act in good faith to save life in an emergency. The Actor's Lounge does not provide or store organisational adrenaline auto-injectors and will support any staff member or tutor who acts reasonably and in good faith.

Asthma and Respiratory Conditions

The Actor's Lounge recognises that asthma and related respiratory conditions may affect participation and, in rare cases, require emergency response. Individuals with asthma are responsible for managing their own condition. This includes carrying prescribed inhalers or medication at all times, ensuring medication is in date, avoiding known triggers where reasonably possible, and informing tutors immediately if symptoms arise.

The Actor's Lounge will take reasonable steps to reduce foreseeable asthma-related risks where practicable. This may include considering ventilation, access to fresh air, physical exertion, session pacing, and environmental factors as part of session planning and venue risk assessments. Reasonable adjustments may be agreed on a case-by-case basis to support participation, such as allowing breaks, stepping outside, flexible participation in physical work, or discreet check-ins at the start of sessions.

If a person experiences asthma symptoms during a session, they should be supported to access and use their own inhaler or medication. An ambulance must be called immediately by dialling 999 if symptoms worsen, do not improve, involve significant breathing difficulty, difficulty speaking, collapse, loss of consciousness, or if there is any doubt about safety.

Tutors and staff are not expected to provide medical care and are not required to administer medication. They may assist an individual to access their own medication if requested and if they feel confident to do so. Nothing in this policy creates a duty for freelance tutors to act beyond their role as educators.

Diabetes, Seizures, Epilepsy, and Other Conditions That May Cause Loss of Consciousness

The Actor's Lounge recognises that some medical conditions, including diabetes and epilepsy, may in rare circumstances result in loss of consciousness, seizures, or medical distress. Individuals with such conditions are responsible for managing their own health needs and carrying any prescribed medication or medical equipment required to manage their condition.

Individuals are encouraged to disclose relevant information at enrolment or at the earliest reasonable opportunity by contacting support@theactorslounge.co.uk and operations@theactorslounge.co.uk, including early warning signs, typical presentation, and any agreed emergency actions. Failure to disclose relevant medical information may limit the organisation’s ability to implement appropriate support.

The Actor's Lounge will take reasonable steps to reduce foreseeable risk where practicable and will share relevant information with tutors on a need-to-know basis to support appropriate response. Reasonable adjustments may be considered on a case-by-case basis to support participation without singling individuals out.

If a person experiences a seizure, loss of consciousness, or other sudden medical episode during a session, the situation must be taken seriously and responded to promptly and calmly. Emergency services must be called immediately by dialling 999 if the individual loses consciousness, experiences a prolonged or repeated seizure, does not recover quickly, sustains an injury, or if there is any doubt about their safety or wellbeing.

Staff and tutors are not expected to provide medical care or administer medication. Freelance tutors are not medically trained and are not required to intervene beyond their role as educators. Staff and tutors should not place themselves or others at risk and must always act within their own confidence and competence. The Actor's Lounge will support any staff member or tutor who acts reasonably and in good faith in an emergency.

Medication Management (General)

The Actor's Lounge does not store, administer, or manage medication on behalf of adults attending its activities. Individuals are responsible for carrying, using, and maintaining their own prescribed or required medication and medical equipment.

Staff and tutors may assist an individual to access their own medication in an emergency if requested and if they feel confident to do so. No staff member or tutor is required to administer medication. Emergency services must always be called if there is any doubt about a person’s safety or wellbeing.

Medication information will be shared with tutors only on a need-to-know basis and solely to support appropriate response in an emergency.

Under UK health and safety law, The Actor's Lounge has a duty to take reasonable steps to prevent foreseeable injury to staff, students, and visitors. This includes identifying and reducing medical-related risks through proportionate measures. The organisation may reduce or avoid liability where it can evidence that reasonable and proportionate steps have been taken, including clear policies, risk assessments, operational guidance, and incident documentation. Where a medical condition meets the legal definition of a disability, relevant duties under equality legislation will be considered and reasonable adjustments explored.

The Actor's Lounge maintains appropriate public liability and employers’ liability insurance. Serious medical incidents may be reportable under RIDDOR 2013 and will be reported to insurers as required. All medical incidents, near misses, or concerns must be reported to the Director of Operations (Designated Safeguarding Lead) and recorded using the organisation’s incident reporting procedures.

This policy is implemented through staff and tutor induction, operational guidance (including information provided via registers and pre-session briefings), and incident review processes. It will be reviewed annually, following any serious medical incident, or if guidance, best practice, insurance requirements, or legal obligations change.

Approved by: CEO, The Actor's Lounge
Date: 19th January 2026
Next review: 1st January 2027