LOCSU’s Enhanced Optometric Services
What is the problem in providing eye care?
- 1.8 million people live with sightloss in the UK today (Future Sight Loss UK, RNIB 2008)
- Ophthalmology accounts for the 8th highest level of programme spend in England and is rising
How is the Department of Health trying to solve this problem?
Since 2004, the DH has been trying to encourage the delivery of more routine and minor emergency eye care outside hospital in community optical practices. The aim is to free up hospital capacity to cope with increasing demand from both the ageing population and new technologies eg wet AMD treatments.
What eye care can be provided in the community?
Throughout the UK, community optical practices are successfully and safely delivering local enhanced services in primary care with high levels of patient satisfaction, as part of local integrated pathways linking into secondary care as appropriate. A key benefit of implementing these enhanced services is a reduction in referral rates to GPs, A&E and hospital eye departments.
How can LOCSU help?
As well as developing accredited pathways for LOCs to use. LOCSU can:
- help LOCs to develop business cases for enhanced services
- work with local commissioners while the business is set up
Read more
You can find out more about individual pathways below.
LOC and ROC members can, via their log in, also access through these pages, the members’ only areas which contain supporting documentation for each pathway. This includes the actual pathway, building a business case, and sample presentations.
Glaucoma Referral Refinement and OHT enhanced Service Pathway
Community Optical Pathway for an Adult Low Vision Enhanced Service