Hampshire MP ‘deeply concerned’ over cuts to community eye health services

HAMPSHIRE MP Paul Holmes has criticised ‘retrograde’ plans by local NHS health chiefs to cut community eye health services during a visit to Specsavers in Hedge End, Southampton.

The local integrated care board (ICB), which commissions local NHS services, has announced plans to axe community services to both detect and monitor glaucoma. Glaucoma is one of the most preventable causes of sight loss with early detection, treatment and monitoring. Currently services to detect and monitor glaucoma are delivered by providers in the community, including Specsavers, but the ICB now plans to axe these services within weeks.

Speaking during the visit, Mr Holmes said: ‘As a customer at this local branch, I know how important the services that that the team here provide are. It’s a fantastic service in a great location where people can do their shopping and come in for a quick eye test.

‘I’m deeply concerned about the news about the withdrawal of glaucoma services. I’ve often thought that some of the actions by the ICB actually cost the NHS more money in the long term.

‘This is a clear example where when you’ve got a great provider providing the services to keep waiting lists down, it’s retrograde that the ICB is choosing to cut that.’

Mr Holmes, MP for Hamble Valley, added: ‘I’ve committed to write to the Minister and to the Chief Executive of the ICB to see if we can protect those services. I’ll be speaking to other colleagues in Hampshire to raise awareness and try and get the decision changed.’

Sam Thaker, optometry director at Specsavers Hedge End, said: ‘It was great to welcome Mr Holmes to our store, talking about how we deliver accessible NHS eye and hearing health services in the community.

‘We also discussed the ICB’s plans to cut community glaucoma services, which we are concerned about as eye health experts. Thousands of patients could be potentially affected by these changes.’

Mr Thaker adds: ‘Patients value being able to come to their local opticians for glaucoma checks, rather than having to go to the hospital for these.

‘These services also help ease pressure on strained NHS hospitals by ensuring that patients with glaucoma who can be seen in the community don’t need to go to hospital. This also means that our hospital colleagues can then focus on the patients that most need their expert care.

‘Specsavers is continuing to engage with the local ICB on this issue as well in the interests of the communities that we serve.’