Doncaster pupils’ eye health alert

Staff and pupils at Rossington’s Grange Lane Infants’ Academy welcomed visitors from Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals.

The visit was made to stress the importance of attending eye appointments to young children, to prevent problems later.

The Trust’s Ophthalmology team - who deal with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases affecting sight, engaged pupils in an interactive session.

Not only did they give a talk to the class,  they ran workshops and launched a poster competition with a special grand prize.

They wanted to raise awareness about the valuable service that the eye clinic provides to the public, as well as to highlight the impact that missing an appointment can have on the NHS.Ian Dawson, Head of Orthoptic services at DBTH, said: ‘’It’s crucial that we reach out to children at an early age. At their stage in life, eyes are still developing and we need to ensure they are properly looked after.

“By coming in to see students, showing them what we do, and reassuring them that there’s nothing to be afraid of, we hope we can encourage them to speak with their parents, so that they don’t miss appointments.’’

Year 1 pupils were given hands-on time with different Ophthalmology tools, had the chance to examine a contact lens, and met Isaac the artificial Eye model.

They were told how much money is lost each year at the Trust, owing to people not attending eye appointments, and were then tasked with creating posters to spread the message further.

These will be displayed in the clinic and included in appointment letters, for wide appreciation.

The children produced 46 posters, with Enya Bewick’s entry the winner.

Andrew Goodall, Chief Operating Officer at Healthwatch Doncaster, said: “The 100-day Improvement Challenge is a great example of how young people can get involved and influence a change in health care.”