Primary care sets out recommendations to Integrated Care Boards

Representative organisations across primary care including optometry have joined forces to submit evidence to the Committee on Integrated Care Systems (ICS).

In a jointly authored submission, the Optometric Fees Negotiating Committee (OFNC) – made up of optical bodies including the AOP – alongside the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and the National Community Hearing Association outlined the need for primary care to inform service development under new transformation plans.

In the submission, representatives ask that Integrated Care Boards are required to work with primary care services when preparing and revising their five-year plans, in the same way they are required to work with NHS trusts.

A renewed call for a mandatory presence of primary care professionals on Integrated Care Partnerships is also included.

In addition, the statement highlighted the full support within primary care for integrated health and social care, the focus on prevention and early intervention, and shaping services around the needs of patients but asked for clarity on how recommendations from the Fuller Stocktake would be implemented.

The AOP has previously raised concerns around the reforms and we continue to work with others in the sector to manage the risks in some of these areas.

We published our five-year strategy in 2022, which sets out our direction and priorities to future-proof optometry for the professionals delivering primary eyecare across the UK.