Orthoptic Standing Committee (OSC)
Current Focus
The OSC is working across a range of age groups and has participated in issues driven working groups. This has involved working with Primary Health & Community Partnerships Branch of NSW Health (PH&CP) on the design and implementation of the Statewide Eye Preschooler Screening (StEPS) Program. The OSC was successful in winning funding from NSW Health for the 'Train the Trainer' program for 4 year old vision screening for the StEPS program. It has also obtained funding from the SOS to undertake special projects and research.
Research / Special Projects
Stroke Patient Care and Vision Defects: this project evaluated different models of stroke care to determine whether patients diagnosed with a stroke and admitted to a designated stroke unit had equitable access to eye care. The project has been completed and the final report will be presented in August 2008.
Eye Health Promotion/Disease and Injury Prevention in School Aged Children - funded literature reviews of recent scientific evidence into paediatric ocular injury and paediatric ocular damage related to sunlight exposure have been completed. Findings are being used to develop an Eye Health Promotion package to be used to educate children, parents, teachers and carers.
Vision and Falls Working Group - the OSC is working with NSW Health 'Falls and Injury Prevention Program' and the low vision community including Vision Australian, the Guide Dogs Association, Glaucoma and Macular Degeneration Foundations and the Optometry Association, to identify or develop education resources and referral pathways for those at risk of falling.
Like to know more
Background: the primary aims of the OSC are to evaluate orthoptic services in the public sector and the broader community and to consider different models of ophthalmic service delivery involving orthoptists.
Following the implementation of the 'Families First' policy by NSW Health, vision screening no longer occurs in schools. Vision surveillance and screening must now be undertaken prior to school entry. The OSC has been working with PH&CP Branch of NSW Health to review the vision section of the Personal Health Record (PHR) or Blue Book given to each mother on the birth of her child. A small working party comprising community nurses, general practitioners, paediatric ophthalmologists and orthoptists developed and agreed protocols for vision surveillance and screening techniques. These protocols informed recommendations for updating the vision section of the Blue Book. OSC recommendations were accepted by NSW Health and included in the revised version released in March 2007. Following its release the then Minister for Health, announced funding of about $14 million over 4 years for the StEPS program.
