Wrong pupil given tablet

A teacher at Northfield Academy in Aberdeen mistakenly gave the 12-year-old the Ritalin drug to control hyperactive behaviour after mixing the boy up with another pupil.

Aberdeen City Council said that as soon as the mistake was realised the school sought medical advice and the boy's parents were informed.

A council spokesman said: "The mistake happened in the first place because a teacher was dealing with two separate incidents involving pupils of the same first name and the wrong child was sent for medication and received a half dose of a Ritalin tablet.

"As soon as the mistake became apparent medical advice was sought and the pupil concerned was monitored as a precaution throughout the rest of the day.

"He has suffered no adverse effects."

The council said staff at the school had been given authorisation to administer the pill to control the hyperactive behaviour of another boy.

Officials said steps have now been taken to tighten the procedure for giving medication to pupils.

The boy's father said he was satisfied with the response of the authority and with its promise to tighten up procedures.

The man said his son told the teacher that he did not require medication but was given it anyway.

'Appropriate measures'

While his son had not been affected, his father said the consequences could have been different if the tablet had been mistakenly given to another child with a medical condition.

The council said the school contacted parents of both children involved and apologised "unreservedly" for the mistake.

He said "An incident like this has never happened before at Northfield Academy and all appropriate measures are being taken to ensure it never happens again."

The father expressed disappointment that a teacher at the school failed to contact the family let them know of developments following a meeting of staff.

This, the council said, was due to an "oversight and pressures of work".