Sector writes to care minister
Care minister Stephen Kinnock
The College of Optometrists and the Optical Fees Negotiating Committee (OFNC) are calling on the government to make a long-term commitment to primary eyecare in its NHS 10-Year Health Plan as part of the shift from hospital to community.
The College and OFNC, of which ABFO is a member, have written to the minister for care, Stephen Kinnock MP, urging further integration of primary eye care services to alleviate pressure on hospitals.
The open letter highlights the critical role the primary eyecare sector plays as the first point of contact for patients and the gatekeepers to hospital services.
The sector stressed that High Street optical practices and their teams already helped to reduce ophthalmology waiting times, but needed greater government support to maximise the sector’s impact for the public and the NHS.
Key recommendations set out in the letter to the Minister include:
- Universal commissioning of community minor and urgent eye care services to release capacity in hospitals to deliver consultant-led care
- Enhanced IT connectivity to ensure seamless communication between primary eye care providers and hospital services
- Read-write access to patient records for all primary care professionals, supporting the NHS transition from analogue to digital
With 95 per cent of the UK’s eye health needs met within the primary eyecare setting, optical leaders warn that healthcare reforms cannot succeed without long-term investment in the sector.
The letter follows a positive exchange in the House of Commons recently between Stphen Kinnock and Marsha de Cordova MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Groupon Eye Health and Visual Impairment, which the College of Optometrists and OFNC welcome.
The NHS 10-Year Health Plan is expected to be published in the summer.