Vision screening of 4 to 5 year olds at school entry
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?
Dear FOI Officer,
I would be grateful if you could answer my FOI.
Dear FOI officer
Vision screening of 4 to 5 year olds at school entry
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?
Thank you.
Best regards,
Olivier Deneve
Our Ref: 6525
Dear Enquirer,
INFORMATION REQUEST
Thank you for your request for information which will be dealt with under
the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 / Environmental
Information Regulations 2004.
In some circumstances a fee may be payable and if that is the case, we
will let you know the likely charges before proceeding.
If you have any queries about this matter please contact us. Please
remember to quote the reference number above in any future communications.
Kind regards
Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF
Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk
Our Ref: 6525
14 August 2019
Dear Enquirer,
FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST
I refer to your Freedom of Information request in relation to vision
screening.
Right of Access
Section 1(1) of the Act provides any person making a request for
information to a public authority is entitled.
(a) to be informed in writing by the public authority whether it holds
information of the description specified in the request (which Section
1(6) of the Act designates as the "duty to confirm or deny"), and
(b) if that is the case, to have that information communicated to him.
The right is to obtain access to the information itself and not to the
document or record which contains it.
The Act creates a general right of access to information held by public
authorities subject to various exemptions.
Northumberland County Council received the same request from yourselves in
June 2019. We responded to this request
(number 6266) on 27 June, please refer to this response.
Complaints
If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been
handled, you can request an internal review by writing within 2 months
from the date of this response to the Information Governance Office:
Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
NE61 2EF
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Information Commissioner
If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request, you have a
right by Section 50 of the Act to apply to the Information Commissioner
for a decision as to whether your request has been dealt with in
accordance with the requirements of the Act at:
The Information Commissioner's Office
Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire
SK9 5AF
Tel: 0303 123 1113
Email: [email address]
There is no charge for making an appeal.
Yours faithfully
FOI Coordinator -
Information Governance Office
Northumberland County Council
County Hall
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE61 2EF
Tel: 0345 600 6400
Email: [Northumberland County Council request email]
Web: http://www.northumberland.gov.uk
Dear Northumberland County Council,
Thank you for your response. I didn't receive your response (number 6266) sent on 27 June, would you mind resending it please?
Thank you and sorry for the inconvenience.
Best regards,
Olivier Deneve
Dear Mr Deneve,
Please find attached the response for 6266.
kind regards,
Julia
Information Governance Office
(t) 0345 600 6400
(e) [email address]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: The College of Optometrists
<[FOI #584744 email]>
Sent: 14 August 2019 10:18
To: FOI Mailbox <[email address]>
Subject: Re: FOI Standard Response
Dear Northumberland County Council,
Thank you for your response. I didn't receive your response (number 6266)
sent on 27 June, would you mind resending it please?
Thank you and sorry for the inconvenience.
Best regards,
Olivier Deneve
Dear Julia,
Thank you for resending the response. However, you only attached the cover letter without the response.
Sorry!
Thank you.
Best regards,
Olivier
Dear Mr Deneve,
Please accept my apologies, please find attached the response.
kind regards
Julia
Information Governance Office
(t) 0345 600 6400
(e) [email address]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: The College of Optometrists
<[FOI #584744 email]>
Sent: 14 August 2019 10:31
To: FOI Mailbox <[email address]>
Subject: Re: FOI Standard Response
Dear Julia,
Thank you for resending the response. However, you only attached the cover
letter without the response.
Sorry!
Thank you.
Best regards,
Olivier
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