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 Mr Deneve,
Thank you for contacting the Freedom of Information team at Achieving for
Children, provider of children's services for the Royal Borough of Windsor
and Maidenhead. Your request is now being processed.
We will endeavour to provide a response to your query within 20 working
days of receipt as defined by the FOI Act 2000.
Yours sincerely,
Lisette Cockell
Information Governance Support
Business Services and Transformation
Email: [1][email address]
Achieving for Children
42 York Street, Twickenham, TW1 3BW
[2]http://www.achievingforchildren.org.uk/
References
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1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.achievingforchildren.org.uk/
Dear Mr Deneve,
The Freedom of Information team at Achieving for Children have now
considered your request. As Achieving for Children do not hold
responsibility for commissioning vision screening for school entry in
Windsor and Maidenhead, I have redirected your request to the Freedom of
Information team at RBWM council. I acknowledge that this is where you
sent your initial request and apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Yours sincerely,
Lisette Cockell
Information Governance Support
Business Services and Transformation
Email: [1][email address]
Achieving for Children
42 York Street, Twickenham, TW1 3BW
[2]http://www.achievingforchildren.org.uk/
References
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1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.achievingforchildren.org.uk/
Dear Sirs
Your request below was originally transferred to Achieving for Children
(AfC) our partner organisation delivering Children's Service on our
behalf.
It was agreed that the request will be dealt with by the Council's Public
Health Service.
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 allows for 20 working days to process
requests for information. You will receive a response no later than 22nd
July 2019.
Yours sincerely
Angelica Popa
Information Governance and Elections Officer
Law & Governance Service
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
Town Hall, St. Ives Road
Maidenhead SL6 1RF
Dear Sirs
I am writing to respond to your information request. Please find your
questions and our answers as follows:
1. Do you currently commission vision screening in school of children
aged 4-5 years old? Y / N Yes
If YES, would you please:
2. List the key features of your commissioned screening service:
a. Settings (e.g. school). Schools, home visit for home educated
children.
b. Screening personnel (e.g. orthoptist, school nurse or other health
professional). School screener’s (school nursing service)
c. The onward care pathway for children who fail the vision
screening.
Children are either referred to orthoptics department in Hospital setting
or advised to visit a high street optician depending on the child’s visual
acuity results (as per screening guidelines by Head Orthoptist).
d. The quality assurance (QA) processes (audit) and identified
clinical lead for the vision screening service
The Head Orthoptist who is based in the Hospital setting is our clinical
lead and she provides training and updates to school nursing staff and
provides feedback annually (audit/quality assurance) on correlation
between school nursing referred vision found in school and vision found by
orthoptist when tested again in hospital setting. School nursing team
carry our own auditing/quality assurance by peer review. Achieving for
Children’s (AfC) Public Health Professional Lead (Principal) ensures
correct protocol/guidelines are in School Nursing Service Manual.
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).
Every child is offered a vison test in reception year in state maintained,
free schools and academies. Home school children are sent information on
the school nursing service and should the parent wish their child to have
their vision tested they would be seen or recommended to take child to
optician (depending on age of child). The school nursing service does not
provide a service to children who attend Independent (Private) schools.
4. Tell us whether the programme will be commissioned again in the
next financial year yes
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?
This concludes your information request.
If you are unhappy with the information we have provided in response to
your request please write to:
Jennifer Shaw
Data Protection Officer/ Senior Information Governance Officer
Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead
Town Hall, St Ives Road
Maidenhead
SL6 1RF
or send an e-mail to [1][RBWM request email]
Yours sincerely
Angelica Popa
Information Governance and Elections Officer
Law & Governance Service
Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead
Town Hall, St. Ives Road
Maidenhead SL6 1RF
Website: [2]http://www.rbwm.gov.uk
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References
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