Picture credit: Rex Features
A broken system has resulted in fewer primary care trusts making children's vision screening available to schools, according to latest findings.
Researcher Which? has found that 19 per cent of PCTs did not offer screening this school year, compared with 10 per cent failing to do so two years ago.
Professor David Thomson of City University said the latest findings from Which? provided further evidence that the vision screening programme in the UK was 'broken'. 'In many areas there is no vision screening, in others the quality of the screening is poor. Even in areas where good quality vision screening is taking place, there is often no reliable pathway to ensure that the children who "fail" the screening are properly followed up and receive an appropriate intervention.
'In the meantime, many children with visual problems are slipping through the net. Given the amount that we spend on children's education, it is extraordinary that we do not have in place a "watertight" system to ensure that all children have good enough vision to take full advantage of their education.'
The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act was used by Which? and related to children who were just starting primary school. During the data gathering process 32 per cent of PCTs did not give a response to the FOI request, which compares to 27 per cent when asked last time. The Department of Health said: 'We strongly encourage all PCTs to follow our guidance and ensure that all children aged between four and five years of age are screened for visual impairments.'