Party says referring common eye problems to optometrists could cut health service waiting lists in England
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Labour would let optometrists deal with some common eye problems such as cataracts and glaucoma in high-street opticians as it seeks to make the NHS in England more productive, a shadow health minister has said.
Karin Smyth told the Institute for Government (IFG) the party’s plan would address the 620,000 patients currently waiting for NHS eye care, with 17,000 waiting more than a year. It has previously been revealed that hundreds of NHS patients lost their eyesight after delayed appointments.
The party said it would seek to negotiate a national deal to deliver more routine outpatient care in high-street opticians, using existing funds. This would include cataract pre-assessments and operation follow ups, glaucoma monitoring, and common diagnostic tests.
Smyth said it would free up hospital specialists to treat more serious cases and provide better value for money.
Labour said the plan had support from expert ophthalmologists. Prof Ben Burton, the president of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, said it was a “positive commitment to supporting eye care patients and we would offer our clinical expertise to shape this policy if delivered in government”.
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