News

All young children should be fully screened for visual impairment and the Government should consider abolishing charges for sight tests.

These are two of several recommendations made today by a House of Commons health select committee report on NHS charges, which looked at health charges in England, and branded the system ‘a mess’.

The report included in its remit charges for drug prescriptions, dentistry, hospital car parking and sight tests.

Key recommendations for the optical sector included:

• As part of the General Ophthalmic Services contract negotiations, the Department of Health should ‘require all optical practices to carry a range of spectacles within the maximum NHS voucher value’. The committee found that currently one third of practices did not.
  

• The DoH should look at eye examination schemes in Scotland and Wales with a view to implementation in England.
  
• The department should increase efforts to encourage people at risk of eye disease to have sight tests.

Perhaps most significantly, the committee recommended the Government establish a review to examine the costs and benefits of abolishing charges for initial diagnosis, such as eye tests and dental check-ups.

It also suggested examining whether exemption to charges should be based solely on income, so that those who can afford to pay for their prescriptions, dental care and sight tests do so.

David Hewlett, chief executive of FODO, commented: ‘The committee has rightly highlighted the importance of good eye care for all, especially children. We know that the majority of practices provide spectacles with NHS voucher values and are committed to providing quality care for all patients, irrespective of income. We are keen to discuss how this system can be improved as part of the GOS review.’

Chief executive of the AOP Bob Hughes said that to ensure all children reach their full potential, they should receive a full eye exam from an optometrist. ‘Problems left untested can affect a child for the rest of their life and impact on their whole health and well-being.’

See Friday’s Optician for a full analysis of the report’s recommendations.

Useful links
NHS Charges, House of Commons Health Committee. Third Report of Session 2005-06. Volume 1

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