Promoting Eye Care Practice for Children with Learning Disabilities (PEPChiLD)
Funding
NHS Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire ICB Research Capability Funding.
What is the research question?
How can we best promote good eye care practice for children with learning disabilities?
What is the problem?
Children with a learning disability account for about 2.5% of the UK population. Studies have reported that visual problems such as refractive errors, crossed eyes, eye movement defects, eye diseases as well as other brain based visual impairment, are much more common in children with learning disabilities. Despite the high prevalence of visual and eye health problems in this group, research demonstrates a frequent lack of appropriate eye care history. In addition, despite calls for equal rights to sight for people with a learning disability, direct information from families as well as from primary eye care providers about the barriers to uptake and delivery of eye care services is lacking. This study aligns with ICB’s priority areas: namely tackling inequalities and illness prevention and earlier treatment for people. It promises to provide quicker access to care and support for vulnerable people and contribute to investing in the first 1,001 days of life.
What is the aim of the research?
The aim of the NIHR research is to understand current eye care service provision, identify barriers and develop resources to improve engagement with eye care services.
It is expected that the outcomes from this project will include the development of parent/patient information highlighting why, when and how they might access eye care. Guidelines for improving eye care services will be disseminated using a website where important information can always be assessed, videos and infographics disseminated through social media networks, resources to support training, as well as peer reviewed publications and articles.
How will this be achieved?
The BNSSG ICB RCF grant will be used to conduct focus groups comprising families of children with learning disabilities and optometrists, respectively. The aim of these focus groups will be to understand the general themes around barriers to accessing/providing care which parents, carers and professional encounter.
The focus group will serve as patient and public involvement (PPI) while outcomes from these groups will be useful to develop the NIHR proposal. Success with this grant will enable the PEPChiLD research team to develop and conduct surveys for families and optometrists in the UK, to determine factors affecting eye care practice for children with learning disabilities. Findings will establish the extent of barriers and be useful for developing resources to improve engagement with eye care services.
Who is leading the research?
This research is led by Dr Onyeka Amiebenomo, Senior Lecturer in Optometry, School of Health and Social Wellbeing, University of the West of England, Bristol.
Further information
For more information or to get involved with this project, please email bnssg.research@nhs.net