Hospital Eye Services in RHC and all adult hospital - Ophthalmology Department at
Royal Hospital for Children - main switchboard 0141 451 6577 Gartnavel General Hospital - main switchboard 0141 211 3000 Victoria Infirmary - main switchboard 0141 201 6000 Royal Alexandra Hospital - main switchboard 0141 887 9111Service Description - Included Ophthalmology (eye doctor), orthoptists (vision testing and eye movement), optometrists (assess the need for glasses). Diagnose and manage all eye conditions in childhood. Age Range RHC 0-16 yars old, others - all ages. Access to service - Referral from health professionals. Funding - NHS service - free to children and young people.
Joint Functional Vision Clinic
Woodside Health & Care Centre 891 Garscube Road Glasgow G20 7ERTel 0141 201 5736/5735
Service description: Joint assessment of children’s vision by health and education professionals with provision of advice on treatment, strategies and some equipment. Age range: All ages ( 0-19 years) Access to Service: Health, education and social work visual impairment professionals
Funding: Initially funded through review of community eye care services funding. Free to children
Vision Impairment Specialist Nurse
Woodside Health & Care Centre 891 Garscube Road Glasgow G20 7ERTel 0141 201 5736/5735 Mobile: 07787 835344
Service Description: Support to families of children with visual impairment - provision of information, provision of links to professionals and other families, help with plan and communication. Age range - all ages (0-19) for mainly preschool. Access: Health professionals and VI professionals. Funding NHS Services - free to children.
Low Vision Aid Service
Low Vision Aid (LVA) Clinic
Eye Department
Gartnavel General Hospital
1053 Great Western Road
Glasgow
G12 0YN
Main switchboard 0141 211 3000
Service description: Assessment of need for low vision aids and provision of appropriate aids identified. This includes various types of magnifiers for near vision and uniocular aids for distance vision. Age range: All ages. Access to service: Referrals from Health professionals.
Funding: NHS service – free to children and young people but service does not provide large pieces of equipment e.g. CCTV but advice regarding these may be provided.
Low Vision Aid Service
Low Vision Aid Clinic Eye Department Royal Alexandra Hospital Corsebar Road Paisley PA2 9PN0141 887 9111
Service description: Assessment of need for low vision aids and provision of appropriate aids identified. This includes various types of magnifiers for near vision and aids for distance vision. Age range: All ages Access to service: Referrals from Health professionals for children and young people living in the following East Renfrewshire postcodes: G53 7, G77 6, G78 1, G78 2, G78 3, G78 4, G77 6
Funding: NHS service – free to children and young people but service does not provide large pieces of equipment e.g. CCTV but advice regarding these may be provided
Vision Assessment Clinic
Ophthalmology Department Royal Hospital for Children 1345 Govan Road Glasgow G51 Tel: 0141 451 6577
Service Description: Tertiary Assessment and advisory service provided by health specialists in the field of visual impairment. Age Range 0-19 years old) Access to service - Referral from health professionals and occasionally others by individual arrangement. Funding - NHS service - free to children.
Visual Impairment Clinic
Royal Hospital for Children 1345 Govan Road Glasgow G51 Tel main switchboard - 0141 201 0000Service Description: Initial health and development assessment of children diagnosed with VI. Advice to parents and identification of initial services required. Age Range 0-19 years old, Access to services - Consultant ophthalmologists and orthoptists. Funding - NHS services - free to children and young people
Education
Within East Renfrewshire, the education service’s provision to children with a visual impairment and their families varies from case to case depending on individual needs. The majority of pupils with a visual impairment attend their local mainstream establishments on a full-time basis. These pupils receive support from peripitetic specialist Visual Impairment (VI) teachers as well as support from Pupil Support Assistants, as required, within their mainstream schools.
Support for visually impaired babies and children under three is coordinated through the Authority’s PreScat System. Supports offered to children under three include regular input from Home Visiting Teachers and/or specialist VI teachers and early placement in specialist nursery settings where there is input from VI teachers.
East Renfrewshire currently employs two specialist VI teachers who support pupils in schools. These teachers work with pupils in class and on an individual basis. They develop, adapt and differentiate materials and resources and contribute, where appropriate to pupils’ Individualised Educational Programmes (IEPs). An important aspect of the VI teachers’ role is to raise awareness of the issues involved in teaching pupils who are visually impaired and to provide advice on appropriate teaching strategies. This is done through liaison with class teachers and through in-service training.
The Authority employs an ICT consultant who assesses visually impaired pupils and provides advice on the most appropriate specialist equipment to facilitate their access to the curriculum.
While there is a strong ethos of inclusion within East Renfrerwshire, it is acknowledged that for certain visually impaired pupils, specialist provision is required, and so arrangements have been made accordingly. For example, the Authority currently funds placements for pupils in Darnley VI Unit, Hazelwood School and the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh. There are also a number of visually impaired pupils, who have other additional support needs, who attend Isobel Mair School (a specialist educational establishment for primary to secondary age pupils).
The progress of visually impaired pupils is monitored and reviewed, in conjunction with pupils’ schools, by an Educational Psychologist with a special interest in Sensory Impairment.
Contacts
Chair of Pre 5 Resource Group Psychological Service Main Street BarrheadG78 VI Teacher, Sensory Support Service C/0 Isobel Mair School 58 Stewarton Rd Newton Mearns G77 6NB 0141 577 7600/7617 Quality Improvement Officer Education Offices 211 Main Street Barrhead G78 1SYEast Renfrewshire Council Services
Social Work / Community Care VI Childrens Services
Sensory Impairment Services HSCP Dickie Building Burnfield Avenue Giffnock G46 7TTService description
Services include:
- Information and advice in visual impairment registration
- Information on benefit entitlement
- Provision of appropriate equipment in order to enhance independence
- Assessment of functional vision, mobility needs and daily living skills with regard to environment
- Rehabilitation training by qualified staff regarding mobility, daily living skills and communication
Age range: All ages, Access to service - open access. Funding - Free to East Renfrewshire residents, Children with Disability (Inclusive Team) information on Carers Group and monthly club.