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Ophthalmic Services: Special Educational Needs

Question for Department of Health and Social Care

UIN HL7731, tabled on 10 May 2023

To ask His Majesty's Government when the independent evaluation of the NHS Special Schools Eye Care Service will be made publicly available

Answered on

5 June 2023

The NHS Long Term Plan made a commitment to ensure that children and young people with a learning disability and/or autism in special residential schools have access to sight checks in school. To fulfil that commitment, NHS England commenced a proof-of-concept programme in 2021, piloting sight testing and the dispensing of glasses in special schools.

NHS England are currently considering the evaluation of this special school programme, to determine how services to meet the eye care needs of children with learning disabilities in school settings should be commissioned and will set out next steps shortly.