Association of Optometrists’ response to the Government’s 10-Year Health Plan

In October, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out the Government’s intention to ‘overhaul’ the NHS – with the public, clinicians and experts invited to submit ideas.

The Association of Optometrists (AOP) has now submitted its full response, which collates the views of its members, following a consultation period in November.

In the response, the AOP sets out in detail the growing need to transform eye care and eye health in England for patients, and how it can be achieved.

Optometry is one of the four core pillars of primary care – alongside dentistry, pharmacy and general practice. The optometry profession has an established and critical role providing effective eye care on the high street and serving on the frontline for secondary care.

By moving between 50% and 75% of hospital outpatient activity into primary care optometry, essential capacity in the NHS can be created.

The AOP argues that to achieve this transformation, the NHS must embrace and invest in the key components that underpin a new way of working.

Adam Sampson, Chief Executive said: “Fundamental to any redress in our healthcare system will be the ability to seize on the readiness and clinical skills that already exist within the primary care workforce, moving away from a hospital-centric funding approach. This hinges on digital connectivity, hospital tariff reform, enhanced service contracting arrangements and ICB composition.

“If we can get these components right, eye care, delivered on the high street, will help drive the NHS towards prevention and improved standards, and reduce inequality of access for patients. We need to cut the shameful incidence of irreversible, avoidable sight loss that we currently see as a direct result of the NHS backlog and an inconsistent commissioning approach.”

13 recommendations for driving change

The AOP’s response sets out 13 recommendations for driving change, including:

• Ensuring that the best examples of enhanced service provision are replicated throughout the country
• Establishing a new role for primary eye care
• Mandating a national system of digital connectivity, interoperability and communication to capitalise on the opportunities of current and next generation technology
• Ensuring that the NHS app directs patients with eye related queries to primary eye care by default.

Read the AOP’s full response and recommendations.

Supporting other responses to the 10-Year Health Plan

Alongside our submission, we provided support to two additional responses on the behalf of the optical profession.

• The Eyes Have It coalition – we worked with Macular Society, Fight for Sight, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), the Royal College of Ophthalmologists and Roche Products Ltd to make the case for the significant impact of eye health conditions on the people affected, the NHS and the wider economy, and our priority to ensure that eye care is recognised within the upcoming 10 Year Plan for Health. Roche has funded the activities of The Eyes Have It partnership. Read the response here. 
• Primary care coalition – as part of the Optometric Fees Negotiating Committee (OFNC), we worked with other primary care representative organisations – in general practice, dentistry, pharmacy and audiology – to produce a joint response to the consultation, which outlines how primary care can support the three shifts that the Government has identified for change. This submission notes that urgent action is needed to prioritise primary care, rebalancing investments to rebuild and expand on what we argue is the foundation stone of the health system. Read the response here.

Key interventions to transform eye care and eye health

To influence health policy and set out the case for change, the AOP recently commissioned a report to explore the untapped clinical and socio-economic impact of primary eye care and its benefits to public health. The report Key interventions to transform eye care and eye health is available in full from the AOP website.

Ends

For more information, please contact Serena Box, Head of Media, PR and External Affairs, at the Association of Optometrists, [email protected] or telephone 0207 549 2040.

Notes to Editors

Association of Optometrists

The Association of Optometrists (AOP) is the voice of the optical profession, representing 80% of practising optometrists. The AOP elevates the work of its members, safeguards their interests, and champions eye health across the UK. For more information, visit www.aop.org.uk