OS welcomes Scottish Budget 2026-27

Eilidh Thomson, chair of Optometry Scotland

Optometry Scotland (OS) has welcomed the Scottish Budget 2026-27, which confirms continued investment in community eyecare and reinforces its established role in delivering accessible eye health care across Scotland.

The Budget confirms community eyecare funding of £144.5m for 2026-27, representing a cash increase of £2.51m (1.8 per cent).

The funding supports universal NHS eye examinations under General Ophthalmic Services (GOS), the continued roll-out of enhanced services including the Community Glaucoma Service and anterior eye condition management, and the design and development of a community low vision service.

Eilidh Thomson, chair of OS, said: “We welcome the continued investment in community optometry and the clear commitment to GOS and enhanced eyecare across Scotland. Community optometrists play a vital role in providing accessible, high-quality care close to home, and this Budget reinforces the importance of that contribution as pressures across the health system continue.”

OS noted that “community optometry is also recognised within the NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan, which underpins reform activity and highlights the profession’s role in improving access, shifting care into the community and reducing pressure on hospital eye services“.

However, the representative body added that “while the Budget demonstrates a clear commitment to community optometry, expectations on the profession continue to increase. All optometry activity, including core GOS and enhanced services, remains funded within a single, non-ring-fenced community eyecare envelope, meaning service sustainability and development must be delivered together.

“The uplift for community eyecare sits below the overall Health and Social Care budget increase in cash terms, and reform funding is not explicitly allocated to optometry-led services. Continued engagement will therefore be important to ensure community optometry is appropriately supported as it plays an expanding role in NHS reform.

“This is particularly relevant given ongoing pressures across secondary eye care. While the Budget includes welcome capital investment in hospital eye services, including the Eye Pavilion in Edinburgh, demand for assessment and follow-up continues to place pressure on capacity. Community optometry already plays a vital role in supporting patient flow and access, and effective co-working between hospital and community services will remain essential to improving outcomes.

“OS will continue to work constructively with the Scottish government, NHS partners and stakeholders. OS looks forward to building on the commitments in this Budget and continuing to support the delivery of high-quality eyecare for patients across Scotland“.