On 7 May, people in Wales will head to the polling stations to vote for their preferred candidate in the Senedd election. As a devolved nation, Wales has a distinctive approach to health and eyecare, with its own policies and priorities shaped by the Welsh government.
Each of the political parties brings its own perspective to the delivery, funding and organisation of health and eyecare services, reflecting broader ideological differences and regional priorities. Here, we take a look at those policies.
Conservatives
The Welsh Conservatives advocate for a patient-centred approach to healthcare, focusing on choice, efficiency and reduced bureaucracy. While they support increasing NHS funding, they also encourage partnerships with the private sector to improve outcomes and reduce waiting lists. The party has been critical of long waiting times and the performance of the NHS in Wales, pledging to improve accountability and invest in frontline services.
In terms of eyecare, the Conservatives propose increasing access to NHS-funded optical services and emphasise the importance of screening and early intervention. The party has called for improved collaboration between primary care, optometrists and hospitals to streamline patient pathways and reduce delays in treatment.
Green Party
Although there is no specific policy on eyecare in its manifesto, the Wales Green Party supports an integrated approach to health, wellbeing and illness prevention, promoting public health, and reducing health inequalities. Taking a broader view of wellbeing, the Greens aim to instigate policies that promote good health – such as securing green spaces in urban environments, reducing poverty, promoting healthy eating and increased physical activity, and supporting parents and early years providers to encourage healthy behaviours from an early age.
The planned integration of health and social care will create people centred ‘networks of care’ with mental and physical health given equal status, with care being free at the point of use.
Labour
Welsh Labour’s approach to healthcare is rooted in the principle of a publicly-funded, universally accessible National Health Service (NHS), free at the point of use, focusing on integrated, community-based care. Key priorities include reducing waiting times, improving mental health services, and enhancing the role of primary care.
With regard to eyecare, Welsh Labour introduced the Wales Eye Care Service, which brought emergency eyecare into primary care, reducing the burden on hospitals and increasing convenience for patients. The scheme has further expanded with glaucoma monitoring, low vision services and independent prescribing available in many High Street practices.
The party supports expanding access to preventative eyecare, recognising the impact of early intervention in reducing preventable sight loss.
Liberal Democrats
The Welsh Liberal Democrats focus on a fair, accessible and sustainable NHS, with particular emphasis on mental health and preventative care. The party supports increasing investment in health services, reducing waiting times, and ensuring that care is delivered as close to home as possible. They advocate for improved integration between health and social care to provide holistic support to patients.
On eyecare, the Liberal Democrats back free sight tests for all children and vulnerable groups, and support expanding community-based eyecare services. The party also highlights the need for greater public awareness campaigns to encourage regular eye checks and early detection of conditions.
Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru, the Party of Wales, champions a vision of a Welsh NHS that is well-resourced, innovative and tailored to the unique needs of Welsh communities. Plaid advocates for increased health funding, an end to postcode lotteries in care, and greater emphasis on preventative measures. The party also highlights the importance of addressing health inequalities, especially in rural and deprived areas. Plaid Cymru has called for more investment in local hospitals and primary care, as well as the integration of health and social care services.
Regarding eyecare, Plaid Cymru proposes expanding mobile eyecare clinics in rural areas and investing in technology to enable earlier diagnosis and treatment. The party supports enhancing the training and role of optometrists and dispensing opticians (DOs) to relieve pressure on GPs and hospital services, aiming to make eyecare more accessible and effective across Wales.
Reform UK
Reform UK is pushing for significant changes in how healthcare is delivered and funded. The party is critical of the current long waiting times and bureaucracy in the NHS. It argues for increased accountability, with a focus on reducing managerial layers and directing more resources to frontline staff, with greater transparency in spending. It also supports the introduction of performance targets to improve efficiency and patient care.
On eyecare, Reform UK advocates for wider access to timely treatment and support, aiming to reduce waiting times for essential services such as cataract surgeries and sight tests. The party suggests that innovative partnerships between the NHS, primary care optometry and private providers could help ensure quicker access to treatments and reduce backlogs, while maintaining free access to necessary eyecare for vulnerable groups.
This brief overview shows that while all major political parties in Wales are committed to an NHS that remains free at the point of use, their approaches to health and eyecare differ in terms of funding priorities, the role of private providers, and the emphasis on prevention and community-based services.
Eyecare has seen innovative policies in Wales in recent years, and parties generally agree on the importance of accessibility and early intervention but differ on the means of delivery and investment.
Regardless of the outcome of the forthcoming elections, ABDO will continue to represent and advocate for our members in Wales, through representation on regional optical committees, the Welsh Optometric Committee and the Board of Optometry Wales.
If you would like to know more about our representation and work in Wales, and how you can get involved representing ABDO on any of these organisations, please feel free to contact me by emailing acrutcher@abdo.org.uk