Vision screening of 4 to 5 year olds at school entry

The request was successful.

The College of Optometrists

Dear FOI officer

The British and Irish Orthoptic Society on behalf of the Clinical Council for Eye Health Commissioning are writing to make an open request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

There is a national recommendation, by the UK National Screening committee, to offer orthoptic-led vision screening to children at aged 4-5 years, mainly to ensure that amblyopia (reduced vision), is detected and treated at an age where treatment has the potential to improve vision.

Public Health England introduced service specifications for a Vision Screening Service in 2017. We are concerned that a Vision Screening service is currently not being offered to all children aged 4-5 years in England leading to inequality of eye health care provision.

We are aware that the responsibility for commissioning 0 - 5 year children’s public health services has transferred from the NHS to Local Authorities; and that in addition there are to be significant cuts to Local Authority Public Health funding which may affect these services

We would be grateful if you could answer the following questions (for the financial year 2019/2020) to determine the arrangements made by your local authority to commission vision screening for your eligible resident population and it’s quality assurance.

We look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Olivier Denève
Secretary to the Clinical Council for Eye Health Commissioning

Questions

1. Do you currently commission vision screening in school of children aged 4-5 years old? Y / N

If YES, would you please:

2. List the key features of your commissioned screening service:

a. Settings (e.g. school).
b. Screening personnel (e.g. orthoptist, school nurse or other health professional).
c. The onward care pathway for children who fail the vision screening.
d. The quality assurance (QA) processes (audit) and identified clinical lead for the vision screening service

3. Tell us how you monitor if every child in your Local Authority has been tested (including those in private schools or those who are home-schooled).

4. Tell us whether the programme will be commissioned again in the next financial year

5. If NO- you do not currently commission a vision screening service in your area, would you please tell us :

a. why you do not commission vision screening?
b. whether a service is planned for the next financial year (2020/21)?
c. whether an existing service in your area has been recently decommissioned?

info-requests, Leicester City Council

Website:                        [1]www.leicester.gov.uk       

E-mail:                            [2][Leicester City Council request email]   

Our Ref:                         FOI 18651

Date:                              21^st June 2019 

 

 

Olivier Denève

[3][FOI #584506 email]       

 

Dear Mr Denève,

 

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

 

Thank you for your email of 21^st June 2019 requesting information about
vision screening.

 

Your request is being dealt with under the terms of the Freedom of
Information Act 2000 and will be answered within twenty working days. 

 

If you have any queries about this request do not hesitate to contact me.
Please remember to quote the reference number above in any future
communications.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Information Governance & Risk Team

Leicester City Council

References

Visible links
1. http://www.leicester.gov.uk/
2. mailto:[Leicester City Council request email]
3. mailto:[FOI #584506 email]

info-requests, Leicester City Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Denève,

 

Please find attached Leicester City Council’s response to your recent
Freedom of Information request.

 

Regards

 

Pravina Chandarana

Information Governance Officer

Email: [1][Leicester City Council request email]

 

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Leicester City Council request email]