Vision screening of 4 to 5 year olds at school entry

Achieving for Children did not have the information requested.

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?

AfC Freedom of Information and Subject Access Requests, Achieving for Children

Dear Mr Denève,
Thank you for contacting the Freedom of Information team at Achieving for
Children. 
Unfortunately, we are unable to assist you in this request as our
organisation is not involved in the commissioning of this service. I have
been advised that the vision screening service is provided by school
nursing, which in Richmond comes under the Central London Community
Healthcare Trust, and that this would be commissioned by the local
authority's Public Health team. For Kingston, school nursing is provided
by Your Healthcare CIC on behalf of Kingston Council. I recommend that you
contact Richmond and Kingston councils with your request and I apologise
for the inconvenience caused.
Yours sincerely, 
Lisette Cockell
Information Governance Support 
Business Services and Transformation
  
Email: [1][Achieving for Children request email]
Achieving for Children
42 York Street, Twickenham, TW1 3BW
[2]http://www.achievingforchildren.org.uk/

show quoted sections

AfC Freedom of Information and Subject Access Requests, Achieving for Children

Dear Mr Deneve, 
Your Freedom of Information request has now been considered. Please see
our response below.
Request

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?    
Response
As the request submitted is noted as being for Kingston upon Thames,
Achieving for Children will not be able to provide the information
requested. Our organisation does not provide school-entry vision testing
for this borough, as this is supplied to Kingston Council by Your
Healthcare CIC. You will need to contact Kingston upon Thames council for
this information.
Windsor and Maidenhead is the only borough for which we provide vision
screening services. If you would like information for Windsor and
Maidenhead, please let me know and I will be happy to send this to you.
Yours sincerely,
Lisette Cockell
Information Governance Support 
Business Services and Transformation
  
Email: [1][Achieving for Children request email]
Achieving for Children
42 York Street, Twickenham, TW1 3BW
[2]http://www.achievingforchildren.org.uk/

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[Achieving for Children request email]
2. http://www.achievingforchildren.org.uk/