Andrew Matheson's two steps beyond

As the first batch of optometrists successfully qualify for extended prescribing rights, Andrew Matheson recounts optometry’s long-running struggle and offers advice for anyone thinking of specialising in therapeutics

Educate then legislate. How many times have I heard those words? As an optometrist keen to do more for his patients and to push the profession forward I have been eagerly awaiting the time when we would get further prescribing rights.

That moment finally arrived on April 5 this year when the first batch of candidates took the Common Final Assessment exams of the Specialist Qualifications in Therapeutics. Now we have access to a further armoury of drugs to help our patients.

There are two specialist qualifications, the DipTp AS – the Specialist Diploma in Therapeutics (Additional Supply), and DipTp SP, – the Specialist Diploma in Therapeutics (Supplementary Prescriber), the first giving a small extra group of drugs such as antibiotics and a NSAID so that we can directly treat our patients better, the second giving us access to any drug that an ophthalmologist allows us to co-manage his patients with.

Optometrists with the additional supply qualification will prescribe drugs via the pharmacist still using the signed order system, currently in use. Supplementary prescribers will get their own NHS prescription pad, as nurses with this qualification do.