The College of Optometrists

The College’s Lay Advisory Panel has contributed its views to the Department of Health’s Your Health Your Care Your Say public consultation.

 

The consultation was announced by Health Secretary, Patricia Hewitt in late July and a series of public engagement events started in September, along with an online survey, giving people the opportunity to provide opinions to help shape the White Paper on improving community health and care services, to be published at the end of 2005.

 

Whilst the consultation was generic in nature, the College, via its Lay Advisory Panel, used the opportunity to identify those issues that can make life difficult for patients accessing eyecare and to highlight ways in which optometry can make life easier for them. In a brief document sent to Health Minister Rosie Winterton, the College stressed the part that community based optometry can play in reducing waiting times for patients and improving their access to skilled clinicians.

 

Chief Executive Bryony Pawinska commented “The College feels it is important to use every opportunity to promote the role of optometry as the first port of call for people who have a problem with their eyes. The College’s Lay Advisory Panel provided a patient perspective on optometric services for input to this public consultation and we look forward to seeing the White Paper later in the year.”

 

A copy of the letter and document sent to Rosie Winterton may be accessed on the College’s website www.college-optometrists.org. It will also be circulated to members of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Eye Health and Visual Impairment and other interested parties.

For further information please contact Beth Elgood on 020 7766 4350 or via email beth.elgood@college-optometrists.org

 

  College response to Your Health Your Care Your Say