Vision screening of 4 to 5 year olds at school entry

The request was partially successful.

The College of Optometrists

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."?

Freedom Of Information Requests, Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

Dear Mr Denève,

 

Freedom of Information Request

Unique Reference No: FOI 9049

 

Thank you for your email received 8 July 2019 requesting information under
the Freedom of Information Act.  I understand your request to be as
follows:

 

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."?

 

Your request is being considered as a request under the Freedom of
Information Act 2000.  In accordance with statutory requirements, it may
take up to 20 working days (approximately 4 weeks) for the Council to
consider your request and provide a formal response.  Should this 20
working day deadline need to be extended you will be notified and kept
informed.

 

I have passed your request to Debbie Watson, Assistant Director of
Population Health, to respond to your request and she can be contacted on
0161 342 5615 or at [1][email address].

 

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Regards

 

Freedom of Information Support

 

 

 

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Freedom Of Information Requests, Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

1 Attachment

Dear Mr Denève,

 

Request for Information – Freedom of Information

Unique Reference FOI 9049

 

Please find attached response in relation to your Freedom of Information
Request.

 

Kind regards,

 

On behalf of Debbie Watson

 

 

 

 

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