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?

North Somerset Council

Information request
Our reference: 2461429

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NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.
Dear Mr Deneve
 
Freedom of Information Act 2000
 
Thank you for your request regarding 'Vision Screening Service', made
under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
 
Your request has been allocated reference 2461429 and we will respond by
the 20th working day, which is on 22 July 2019.  Please quote this
reference in any correspondence with us relating to this matter.
 
If you wish to know how we will use your personal data, please read our
privacy notices available at
https://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/privacy-co...
 
Many thanks
 
Katherine Webb
Information Governance Assistant
North Somerset Council
Tel: 01934 634609
Email: [email address]
Web: [1]www.n-somerset.gov.uk

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North Somerset Council

1 Attachment

Information request
Our reference: 2461429

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Dear Mr Deneve
 
Thank you for your request for information received on 24 June 2019.
 
Please find attached our response to your request.
 
Many thanks
 
Christine Coomber
Directorate Governance Co-ordinator
North Somerset Council
Tel: 01934 888 829
Email: [email address]
Web: [1]www.n-somerset.gov.uk
 

NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.

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