Porthcawl optometrist helps ease pressure on the NHS

Porthcawl optometrist helps ease pressure on the NHS

People in Porthcawl no longer need to visit their GP to get a prescription for eye medication, thanks to a local optometrist who has completed a postgraduate course in Independent Prescribing.

Claire Edwards, store director at Specsavers in Porthcawl, completed course with Cardiff University’s School of Optometry and Vision Sciences during lockdown last year. Claire has, with her colleague optometrist Megan Cosgrove, also completed a Professional Certificate in Medical Retina, which will improve customers’ screening, referral and treatment.

Commenting on the qualifications, Claire says: ‘The restrictions posed by COVID-19 have put so much pressure on the NHS that it has been devastating to see. I have always been passionate about the role optometry plays in healthcare and saw these unprecedented times as an opportunity to upskill and add further value to my customers.’

‘Not only can we now better treat and manage our customers’ conditions, but we can also help ease the pressure on our local surgeries and hospital eye departments, which brings us a step closer to our goal of bringing optical health to the primary care sector. Our qualifications plus an investment into OCT technology is a huge milestone in our continued efforts to provide the very best eye care for our patients.