AOP urges the use of primary eye care to address NHS waiting time failures

The Association of Optometrists responds to Public Accounts Committee report on the NHS backlog in elective care

Responding to the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) new report, Adam Sampson, Chief Executive of the Association of Optometrists (AOP), said: “The PAC’s findings confirm what patients have known for years – the NHS is still failing to deliver timely care. No one should wait over a year for treatment, yet for thousands of patients with eye conditions this is now routine. Long waits mean months of impaired vision, anxiety, and in the worst cases, avoidable sight loss – with serious consequences for work, independence and daily life.

“But there is a straightforward, proven solution. By backing the parts of the system that are working, Government can act decisively and deliver immediate, meaningful change for patients.

“In primary eye care, we already have a clinically trained, highly capable workforce ready to provide faster assessment and treatment in local communities. Harnessing this capacity would improve outcomes and significantly ease pressure on struggling GP surgeries, A&E departments and hospital eye services.

“We welcome the Committee’s call for a stronger patient focus in NHS England’s planning, and we recognise the progress made. But despite investment, the Government simply isn’t moving far enough or fast enough to meet its own ambitions.

“The 10-Year Health Plan sets out the right direction, but major gaps remain while we wait for further frameworks that will shape the NHS’s future. And we remain concerned that the current Planning Framework gives ‘primary care’ an overly narrow definition – focusing heavily on GPs while overlooking the essential roles of optometry, pharmacy and dentistry.

“Our evidence is clear: if every patient in England had access to the full range of enhanced NHS eye care services delivered in community optometry, we could release nearly 2 million GP and hospital appointments and save the NHS tens of millions of pounds.”

The AOP provided evidence to the Public Accounts Committee’s inquiry on Reducing NHS waiting times for elective carethe use of