Partnership urges action on backlogs

Launching The Eyes have It partnership

A national partnership of eyecare organisations is calling for more joined-up care through a national, clinically-led eyecare strategy to address the many patients in England who could lose their sight due to delays in diagnosis and follow-up care after referral.

The Eyes Have It partnership, formed of the Macular Society (MS), Royal College of Ophthalmologists, Fight for Sight, Association of Optometrists (AOP) and Roche Products, is calling on NHS England’s newly appointed national clinical director (NCD) for eyecare, Louisa Wickham, to implement a national strategy to address the issues.

Speaking on behalf of the partnership, Stephen Scowcroft, MS director of services, said: “We believe a clinically-led national eyecare strategy that prioritises maximising capacity in NHS eyecare services is needed to better support people experiencing sight loss. Taking action to maximise capacity in eyecare services is vital for ensuring patients are seen in the right place and at the right time, whilst also supporting the ophthalmology and optometry workforce. The appointment of the new national clinical director is a really positive step forward, that gives the eyecare community a new opportunity to better support patients and provide them with the practical and emotional support they need.”

On 7 June, the Eyes Have It partnership convened a roundtable discussion with leading clinicians, policymakers, and patient organisations. As well as the issues around patient support after referral, participants also discussed inconsistent commissioning processes from primary to secondary care, workforce issues where there is a mismatch between supply and demand, a lack of national, standardised data preventing effective national planning, and a deficiency in the support and funding for clinical eye research.

Future awareness-raising activities will include a Westminster Eye Health Day to be hosted by Marsha de Cordova MP on Wednesday 19 October.

All stakeholders in eyecare are being asked to pledge their support “to improving the lives of people with sight loss” via a pledge wall. Find out more here.

Our photograph shows from left: Keith Valentine (CEO, Fight for Sight), Carolyn Ruston (policy director, AOP), Cathy Yelf (chief executive, MS), Jordan Marshall (policy manager, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists), Conn O’Neill (public affairs partner, Roche Products).