A group of healthcare support staff has been honoured for its dedication to supporting children in Oxfordshire.
Oxfordshire’s School Screening Service, comprising 12 part-time healthcare assistants, received the Exceptional People Team Award for August.
The accolade acknowledged the team’s professional approach and commitment to achieving programme objectives through its delivery of the National Child Measurement Programme alongside a recently introduced Vision Screening Initiative.
Margaret Fallon, operational manager and professional lead for school nursing, nominated the group.
She observed that over the past two years, the assistants have fulfilled and surpassed their contracted targets while simultaneously mastering and launching the new vision screening programme.
This necessitated developing expertise in assessing very young children and adjusting to updated reporting mechanisms.
Their success stemmed from persistent dedication and the ability to overcome challenges.
Throughout the academic year, the service conducts vision assessments for approximately 7,500 reception-aged children and measures the growth of pupils in both reception and Year 6 classes across 245 primary schools throughout the county.
Fallon also emphasised the team’s efforts to guarantee every parent and caregiver receives their child’s screening outcomes, including those not enrolled on the digital platform.
This follow-up enables families to pursue additional support when necessary, whether through optician consultations or lifestyle guidance prompted by the National Child Measurement Programme.
She noted that the team’s strong partnerships with educational establishments have facilitated effective delivery of screening services across the county.