AOP response to £40m GP programme to support vulnerable patients this winter
“Helping the public to access care outside of A&E is not just a job for GPs. By making sure primary eye care services delivered by optometrists are available everywhere, we can reduce pressure across the NHS” – Adam Sampson, AOP Chief Executive
Responding to the Government’s £40m investment programme for GPs, Adam Sampson, Chief Executive of the Association of Optometrists (AOP) said:
"We welcome the Government's commitment to protecting vulnerable patients this winter, and the recognition that community-based care is key to easing pressure on Emergency Departments.
"Many of the patients this programme is designed to help, including those with frailty and long-term conditions, are also at higher risk of sight loss and of falls linked to poor vision. Eye health is too often overlooked, yet an eye examination by an optometrist can identify problems early, support healthy ageing and help people stay independent for longer.
“Helping the public to access care outside of A&E is not just a job for GPs. By making sure primary eye care services delivered by optometrists are available everywhere, we can reduce pressure across the NHS and improve access to care.
“NHS data shows that common eye problems account for over 780,000 avoidable A&E admissions every year for problems such as a minor scratch to the eye, which could be managed safely by optometry in the community. Optometrists are highly skilled clinicians, already embedded in High Streets across the country and accessible without a long wait. In many parts of England, optical practices provide enhanced eye care services that manage eye problems that might otherwise end up in an A&E or in the 8am dash for a GP appointment.
“It’s time for optometry to be recognised as a core part of the shift from hospital to community to which the Government is committed. There is a clear opportunity to ensure that common eye problems can be treated close to home, but the stark reality is that a postcode lottery is blocking patient access to care.
“In the same way the public can go to a community pharmacy for a range of health issues wherever they live, community optometry is ready to play an equivalent role for eye health.”
The AOP will continue to work with the Government, NHS England and partners across primary care as part of it’s Eye care everywhere campaign, calling for nationwide access to eye care services in England.
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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