A joint statement has now been agreed and released with leads for Labour

Optical Bodies agree on joint statement released to implore the new Labour Government to act.

Primary eye care calls on government to deliver change

ABDO, AOP and FODO have written to the new government to follow up on pre-election and manifesto commitments to work with primary eye care to tackle long hospital ophthalmology waiting times.

In a joint statement, the primary eye care representative bodies said they would work with new ministers and NHS leadership to deliver commitments made on the campaign trail and in the manifesto. The statement calls on the government and NHS in England to transform eye care services by delivering more care out of hospital and closer to home.

Full Statement:

ABDO, AOP and FODO have reached out to the new government to follow up pre-election and manifesto commitments to work with primary eye care to tackle long hospital ophthalmology waiting times and prevent avoidable sight loss.

Primary eye care representative bodies said: “It is time to end avoidable sight loss due to delays in care. We will work with new ministers and NHS leadership to deliver commitments made on the campaign trail and in the manifesto.

We know what works. We have the clinical pathways, we have the clinical teams and we have the capacity to help make a massive difference quickly and cost-effectively. We are ready to make the long overdue shift from an NHS model overly reliant on secondary care to a more preventive primary eye care service, which delivers more care closer to home.

It is time for the NHS in England to transform eye care services.  We have let ministers and civil servants know that we are ready to start work to deliver better care for the millions of patients we serve.

Other statements

The College of Optometrists has also written to Wes Streeting to express its support for transforming eye care services and delivering more care closer to home.

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists also backed the call for more care to be provided out of hospitals, stating: “The new government is right to prioritise making better use of the facilities and expertise in primary care optometry.”