Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his policy is on the provision of primary ophthalmic services for children in non-residential special schools.

All children under 18 years old in full time education are eligible for free National Health Service sight tests from high street opticians and in some circumstances domiciliary sight tests delivered in their own home. Where access to services may be challenging, the hospital eye service can also provide eye care services and ongoing care.

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. NHS England commenced a proof-of-concept programme in 2021 to pilot and evaluate a potential sight testing service model in residential schools. The pilot is currently being evaluated and we expect this to conclude early in 2023.

NHS England has confirmed that all existing contracts operating under the proof of concept programme will continue until 31 July 2023. This will provide continuity of care until the end of the academic year and allow for additional stakeholder engagement. The evaluation of the programme will also inform whether this service should continue beyond this date.