Residential school students to be offered free NHS eye and ear checks

Young people with disabilities and additional needs in residential schools and colleges will soon be offered free NHS hearing, dental and eyesight checks by trained staff in their schools.

NHS sensory checks were piloted by the Government in 2022 and 2023 and will be rolled out to educational facilities across England from next year, allowing tests to be performed “in a comfortable and known environment” for children.

Autistic children and those living with learning disabilities are more likely to experience hearing, eyesight and dental problems than their peers. The new programme is expected to reach around 18,000 students.

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All staff carrying out the sensory checks will be appropriately qualified and trained. National Learning Disability and Autism Director at NHS England Tom Cahill said the new checks would ensure any issues are identified promptly.

“Mainstream services can sometimes struggle to meet the needs of autistic children and young people, or those with a profound learning disability, so these new sensory checks in residential special schools will provide the support they need,” he said.

“Having specialist services which take account of an individual’s reasonable adjustments, with support from people that know them well and delivered by appropriately-trained staff, will help ensure that they are able to access sensory checks that other children and young people routinely receive.”

Eyesight checks will be carried out annually, and at least one face-to-face annual dental check will be offered as a minimum, with health advice and prevention visits also on offer.

Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock said the checkups would help tackle health inequality and give access to support faster.

“I am pleased we will be able to support vital sensory checks for all pupils in special educational settings, in a comfortable and known environment for them,” he said.

“These checks will enable health issues in around 18,000 children and young people to be identified more promptly.”