A new standard clinical specification for community minor and urgent eyecare, which aims to assure, support and enhance access to minor and urgent eyecare locally across England, has been published today.
The specification was developed by the Local Optical Committee Support Unit (LOCSU) in partnership with the Clinical Council for Eye Health Commissioning (CCEHC), and through wide-sector collaboration including the College of Optometrists, and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, which also provided their clinical endorsement. It was produced following a ministerial request in September 2023.
The clinical and quality standards set out in the specification are designed to support local optical committees and local commissioners in their task of improving eye health and providing high quality clinical care for patients.
Primary care minister, Andrea Leadsom, said: “This government is working hard to reduce pressure on the NHS and improve patient outcomes – including exploring a greater role for community optometry. That is why in September last year the government asked for this piece of work to be taken forward, and I am grateful to LOCSU and CCEHC for their role in leading it. This will help local commissioners get the best outcomes if they choose to commission these services as part of their local eye care provision. I’m also thankful to our hard-working optometrists delivering important front-line eyecare on our high streets for those that need it.”
Zoe Richmond, LOCSU clinical director, said: “The new clinical specification has been developed through wide sector collaboration and provides local leaders with an opportunity to improve access to minor and urgent eyecare on the high street, delivering optimal first contact care with better utilisation of the highly qualified workforce available in optometric practice.
“The clinical specification is deliberately high level, setting out the standard of care our patients should expect whilst allowing local leaders flexibility to respond to local needs with opportunity for growth and development. Through this work we aim to build on the well-established pockets of excellence in England, helping to improve consistency, reduce unwarranted variation and encourage a cycle of continuous improvement.”
This specification was developed through wide sector collaboration using an evidenced-based approach, learning from established local minor and urgent primary eyecare services and expert opinion from across the eyecare sector.
Max Halford, ABDO clinical lead, said “ABDO has supported the development of this pathway from day one, and are very pleased to see the publication of this new clinical service specification. It is an opportunity for all of the practice team to support patients with acute eyecare concerns and dispensing opticians are well placed to contribute to this as the first clinicians patients often encounter in practice. I am sure many of our members will be keen to be involved and this is another opportunity for our contact lens optician colleagues to consider our extended services course presently being funded by Health Education England.”
Wojciech Karwatowski, chair of the CCEHC, said: “The Clinical Council for Eye Health Commissioning is delighted to give its endorsement to the new Clinical Standard Specification for minor and urgent eyecare services delivered in community optometric practices. The clinical and quality standards set out in the specification are designed to support local commissioners in their task of improving eye health and providing high quality clinical care for patients.”
Professor Leon Davies, president of the College of Optometrists, said: “We are pleased to support the development and clinical endorsement of this enhanced pathway and specification, enabling optometrists to provide eyecare for a wide range of common ocular conditions; relieving pressure on our GP and hospital colleagues and delivering effective and convenient care into local communities. Optometry is a vital and longstanding pillar of NHS primary care. This development recognises and more effectively utilises the skills of the whole eyecare workforce, including prescribing, and will improve eyecare for patients and local communities.”
Read the new specification in full here.
View the risk stratification and service pathway table here.
View the patient pathway table here.