§ Mr. Chris SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision his Department has made for national eye screening of children. [2316]
§ Mr. MaloneAn examination of the eyes is a mandatory part of all neonatal examinations conducted by a paediatrician, general practitioner or health visitor. A test for visual acuity is also conducted, usually by the school nurse, on entry to school. Health authorities are expected to assess the needs of their populations for visual examinations and organise appropriate screening programmes to meet these needs. Information is not collected centrally on the precise arrangements made in each authority area.
Guidance on the need for visual examinations has been issued in the publication "Health for All Children" first published in 1989. The latest edition was issued in 1996 and commended to health authorities in the guide, "Child Health in the Community: A Guide to Good Practice", published on 5 September 1996.
It is for health authorities to decide how to implement this guidance but, in most areas, school nurses undertake sight tests shortly after a child starts school. Health authorities are expected to monitor these arrangements and, in addition, the Department is in regular contact with representatives of paediatricians, ophthalmologists and nurses on developments in the assessment and treatment of sight defects in children.