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?

Stockton on Tees Council

1 Attachment

Dear The College Of Optometrists

 

Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Ref: 0681/1920

 

Thank you for your correspondence received on 27 June 2019

 

Your request is being considered under the Freedom of Information Act 2000
or the Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (whichever is most
appropriate). You will receive the information requested within the
statutory timescale of 20 working days.

 

However, please note the Acts define a number of exemptions that may
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If the information requested refers to a third party, they may be
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Yours sincerely,

 

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1LD

(01642) 527521

[1][email address]

[2]www.stockton.gov.uk

 

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FOI and Complaints, Stockton on Tees Council

This document was classified as: OFFICIAL

 

Dear College of Optometrists

 

Freedom of Information Act 2000 – Ref: 0681/1920

Thank you for your correspondence received on 27 June 2019. In response to
your request I can now provide the following information. 

Q1.Do you currently commission vision screening in school of children aged
4-5 years old?

Yes

 

If YES, would you please:

 

Q2.List the key features of your commissioned screening service:

a.Settings (e.g. school).

School or community venue on request for those home schooled.

 

b.Screening personnel (e.g. orthoptist, school nurse or other health
professional).

Screening technician.

 

c.The onward care pathway for children who fail the vision screening.

For children with a fail that meets hospital criteria, a referral is made
to Hospital Orthoptist Service. For those who fail and meet the community
optician service criteria there is an agreed pathway to refer to optician
scheme.

 

d.The quality assurance (QA) processes (audit) and identified clinical
lead for the vision screening service.

The provider has a lead orthoptist who has clinical oversight and
leadership of the screening process and training of screening technicians.
Bi-annual BIOS training is delivered by a trained orthoptist. Screening
technicians work in pairs and peer assure. Results from Hospital Service
are received by provider and audits are undertaken on number of pass and
fail results at HES level to provide assurance about quality of screen and
safe practice.

 

Q3.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).

Monthly contract reporting across the academic year highlights percentage
of eligible population screened, and exception reporting for specific
reasons including SEND population who may have been screened via
alternative routes. There are 3 primary aged private schools in the
borough – 1 has refused to participate in the screening programme – and
screening rates are monitored via contract reporting.  Children who are
home schooled are contacted directly and uptake is monitored through
contract reporting.

 

Q4.Tell us whether the programme will be commissioned again in the next
financial year

Yes

 

Q5.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?

N/A

 

If you have any queries or concerns please contact me in the first
instance.

 

However, if you are unhappy with the way your request for information has
been handled, you can submit a complaint to
[1][email address

 

If, after your complaint has been determined, you remain dissatisfied with
the handling of your request or complaint, you have a right to appeal to
the Information Commissioner at:

 

The Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), Wycliffe House, Water Lane,
Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.  Telephone: 0303 123 1113  Website:
[2]www.ico.org.uk

 

The ICO does not make a charge for an appeal.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Sarah McLaren

Information Governance Team

Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council

Municipal Buildings, Church Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 1LD

(01642) 527455

[3][email address]

[4]www.stockton.gov.uk

 

 

 

 

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