AOP highlights capacity within optometry workforce as new data shows strain on GPs

The AOP is encouraging further use of the optometry workforce as new data from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) reveals the heavy workload on GPs – particularly those working in less affluent areas.

Research published ahead of the RCGP conference in Liverpool shows that GPs working in income-deprived areas are responsible for 2451 patients per person, while those in affluent areas are responsible for 2129 patients per person.

Over the past six years, the average number of patients that a fully qualified, full time GP working in an income-deprived area is responsible for has increased by 260 patients.

In more affluent areas, the number of patients each GP is responsible for has increased by an average of 140 patients over the same time period.

AOP chief executive, Adam Sampson, shared that GPs are at “crisis point.”

“Our primary care system, which is failing patients, and making unnecessary demands on a GP service already on its knees, needs change,” he said.

He highlighted that AOP data shows that millions of GP appointments are taken up with appointments that optometrists are trained to manage.

“We know the public wants to access clinical care locally and recognises optometrists are the eye experts on the High Street to do the job,” Sampson said.

AOP research found that 75% of optometrists have seen a patient in the last six months who booked a GP appointment for an eye complaint.

The AOP estimates that there are around five million GP appointments for eye conditions that optometrists could manage on the High Street.

AOP clinical and policy director, Dr Peter Hampson, highlighted that optometrists have the premises, equipment and clinical expertise to deliver specialist eye care that is accessible.

“Optometrists are qualified to treat and manage a broad range of eye health conditions and have the capacity to do more. But we need the political vision to ensure primary care optometry is utilised, allowing patients to access more eye care in their community which is both timely, high-quality and most importantly, can help to tackle the NHS backlog,” he said.

The AOP’s One million appointments campaign is calling on the Government and NHS England to support a minor and urgent eye care pathway created by optometrists to improve eye care in the community.