1 Primary Care Optometry 2012 Mike George

Primary Care Health care at the point where a person makes an initial approach to a health professional 2

Optometry The profession of examining the health and function of the eyes and visual system 3

Optometry Wales Represents all optometrists in Wales Your point of contact for optometry Committed to eye care excellence in Wales 4

Challenges and opportunities in primary care eye health Who provides primary care eye health services? What are the challenges? What are the opportunities? 5

Who are the providers? Optometrists General Practitioners Pharmacists NHS Direct Wales Accident & Emergency Units Voluntary sector 6

Optometrists NHS optometry –Sight tests –Eye health examinations –Emergency examinations (PEARS) –Low Vision Service Private optometry 7

What are the problems? Population characteristics Finance Barriers to access 8

Population characteristics Ageing Ethnic mix Where people live 9

Finance Rising costs Public spending cuts Capacity in secondary care Sustainability of optometry practices 10

Barriers to access Public awareness Waiting for a problem Cost worries 11

Public awareness 41% would visit an optometrist first 20% have never been for a sight test 30% unsure if their ethnicity puts them at higher risk 60% do not know glaucoma can be inherited 12

Waiting for a problem 59% do not believe or are not aware of the fact that some eye diseases have no symptoms 13

Cost worries 20% concerned about the cost of sight tests 17% felt they could not afford spectacles 12% concerned that they would be sold spectacles even if they were not necessary 14

How can we make things better? New ways of working Use new legislative power Use new technology 15

New ways of working Remodelling –more convenient and accessible services –better use of other services Workforce Post-graduate education 16

Use new legislative power Assembly able to pass laws without first needing the agreement of the UK Parliament 17

Use new technology e-Optometry –records –referrals –remote diagnosis –management in primary care 18

Final thoughts... The problems are well documented –let’s solve them! New ways of working must deliver excellent services making best use of resources in a cost effective manner We all have to work together 19

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