Scotland leads the way in emphasising the key role of Primary Care Optometry

Scottish Government Chief optometric adviser sends a letter of thanks to the sector for its ongoing efforts in providing high quality and safe care and provides updates on the following:

• From 1 July 2022, GOS will be changed to fund more care from independent prescriber (IP) community optometrists. It means they can manage more complex anterior eye conditions closer to home and help reduce referrals to the hospital eye service (HES).
• A Community Glaucoma Service also starts this year. It will help “HES discharge their lowest risk glaucoma and treated ocular hypertension patients to the management of accredited IP optometrists”. The move is strongly supported by patients who have shared “their trust and confidence in their community optometrist, a testament to the professionalism of colleagues and their practice teams.”
• Work to develop a new national Low Vision Service is progressing, and the service is expected to begin in April 2023.

The update also shares views on the GOC ESR and local change and reminds everybody about the Eyes.Scot website, the national website for eye care services and eye health information.

David Hewlett, FODO director, said: “As so often, Scotland is again leading the way, supported by Optometry Scotland and FODO Scotland, to maximise benefits for patients and the NHS by using the skills, facilities and community locations of primary eye care.”