Pixabay/Bru-nO
09 February 2021
A new video outlines a project exploring the potential of community optometry to ease the burden on secondary care in Wales.
The Accelerate video describes the Transforming Eye Care Services Wales project.
Sharon Beatty, optometrist and adviser to Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, highlights that the demand for eye care is increasing.
“We’ve got an ageing population, we’ve got fixed capacity within the hospital, we’ve got waiting lists that are getting longer – so really we needed to look at different ways of working,” she said.
Ms Beatty added that the project ultimately aims to reduce waiting lists and ensure that patients receive safe and timely care.
She highlighted that the Accelerate team provided a plan for how the project could achieve its objectives within a clear structure and time frame.
“They put us in touch with all the right people who could support the project,” Ms Beatty said.
Angharad Hobby, optometrist and research associate, highlighted that the initiative would explore whether pressure on ophthalmology can be relieved by utilising the skills of appropriately trained optometrists in community care.
Ms Hobby will compile patient and practitioner experiences as part of the project so that her research can inform future decisions about the provision of eye care in Wales.
The initiative utilises electronic patient records. Instead of patients attending hospital, an assessment can be performed in an optometry practice on the High Street with images and results uploaded for review by a consultant.
The Accelerate video describes the Transforming Eye Care Services Wales project.
Sharon Beatty, optometrist and adviser to Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, highlights that the demand for eye care is increasing.
“We’ve got an ageing population, we’ve got fixed capacity within the hospital, we’ve got waiting lists that are getting longer – so really we needed to look at different ways of working,” she said.
Ms Beatty added that the project ultimately aims to reduce waiting lists and ensure that patients receive safe and timely care.
She highlighted that the Accelerate team provided a plan for how the project could achieve its objectives within a clear structure and time frame.
“They put us in touch with all the right people who could support the project,” Ms Beatty said.
Angharad Hobby, optometrist and research associate, highlighted that the initiative would explore whether pressure on ophthalmology can be relieved by utilising the skills of appropriately trained optometrists in community care.
Ms Hobby will compile patient and practitioner experiences as part of the project so that her research can inform future decisions about the provision of eye care in Wales.
The initiative utilises electronic patient records. Instead of patients attending hospital, an assessment can be performed in an optometry practice on the High Street with images and results uploaded for review by a consultant.
A new video explains the Transforming Eye Care Services Wales project
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