Wales – Minister praises primary eye care providers

Wales – Minister praises primary eye care providers

In a written statement on access to primary care services, Wales’s health minister, Vaughan Gething, said that access to primary care had remained a priority throughout the pandemic.

He said: “Services have had to find ways to respond to the unique requirements of the pandemic, including social distancing, increased infection control measures and reducing physical contact where appropriate. This has been balanced with the need to maintain essential services and reintroduce routine services.”

Commenting on eye care, he said that “primary care optometry continues to respond swiftly and innovatively to patient demand during the pandemic, supporting wider primary healthcare provision”.

He added: “During the recovery period, optometry is working with the Welsh Government and other key stakeholders to implement contract reform, moving to a clinical service model. This is a substantial change but one that will improve service delivery for the profession and improve outcomes for patients during the next decade.”

Read the Minister’s full statement.