No political appetite yet to end enhanced services postcode lottery in England
FODO reports that It seems that, for now, patients in England will continue to experience a postcode lottery when it comes to equitable access to enhanced primary eye care services.
In response to a parliamentary question (PQ) about adding MECS to the core primary eye care contract to reduce pressure on GPs and A&E, Neil O’Brien, parliamentary under-secretary at the DHSC, said ICBs were responsible for commissioning “locally enhanced services, such as minor eye conditions services, from primary eye care providers”.
On a more positive note, he also reconfirmed that NHS England was still considering “what eye care services can be safely moved out of hospital and into the community to ease ophthalmology pressures”.
The FODO policy team always welcomes feedback from members from all parts of the UK about your vision for eye care, including your feedback on this latest PQ. Should uou wish to add to the conversation please email healthpolicy@fodo.com and share your plans and hopes for the future