The National Service Frameworks for diabetes has a specific target of screening everyone at risk of diabetic retinopathy, and ensuring they are treated, by the end of 2007, Health Minister Rosie Winterton said in a written parliamentary answer on 9 February.
She added: “Free sight test on the National Health Service are available to people with diabetes and we recommend people with diabetes have their eyes tested every year.”
Answering a related question, Ms Winterton said in a written parliamentary reply on 8 February: “Capital funding of £27 million has been made available to buy digital cameras and related equipment for retinal screening.
“£5 million has been made available in 2003-04, £9.6 million in 2004-05 and £12.4 million in 2005-06. The capital has been apportioned on a population basis through Strategic Health Authorities.
“Primary Care Trusts are responsible for implementing diabetic retinopathy screening to national standards as set out in “Improvement, Expansion and Reform: the next three years”, the planning and performance framework for 2003 to 2006 and diabetes National Service Framework delivery strategy. It is for local health services to decide how they want the programme to be delivered locally.
“At national level optometrists have played an important role on the national diabetic retinopathy screening project advisory group set up to steer the development of the programme.”