9 January 2025

College responds to Government’s reform plans for elective care

Models of care Policy Public health Workforce England

Prime Minister has set out plans to end NHS England waiting list backlogs. Under the Elective Reform Plan, millions of patients will be able to access more appointments closer to home and get the treatment they need faster.

The College of Optometrists welcomes the Government’s commitment to ensure patients receive the care they need at the right time and the right place. 

Currently, 600,000 people are on NHS waiting lists to begin treatment for ophthalmology in England, making ophthalmology one of the largest contributors to the NHS backlog; and this number is only set to grow with an ageing population. Delays to treatment can have devastating consequences for individuals, families, communities, and the nation. Patients on long waiting lists are losing their sight unnecessarily.

We are pleased to see the Westminster government agrees with our priorities, including: 

  • empowering patients to choose when and where they receive the care they need
  • ensuring they receive their care from skilled healthcare professionals in the right setting
  • improving access to tackle health inequalities
  • optimising clinical pathways to shift care from hospital to community
  • using digital and data to facilitate more effectively clinical and operational decisions
  • aligning funding to meet growing patient need

The College has long called on the government and NHS England to deliver these changes as soon as possible to help reduce unnecessary sight loss as outlined in our manifesto for change. 

Primary care optometrists have the core clinical skills and equipment required to provide more NHS eye care services in England than most are currently commissioned to do. They can deliver safe and timely eye care to all patients closer to home, helping to reduce the reliance on local GPs, cut NHS ophthalmology waiting times and enable more people to live independently with the best vision possible.   

The College calls on the government and NHS England to ensure the reform plan for elective care is effectively and urgently implemented for the benefit of eye care patients and the wider NHS.

Further information

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