In Focus: Membership bodies issue call to action on pilot project

Primary eye care’s ability to deliver a portfolio of NHS care outside of hospital settings, including diagnosis, acute treatment and co-management of chronic conditions, could finally be properly leveraged under a pilot model named Optometry First, optical membership bodies have said.

The group of bodies, comprising the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) the Association of Optometrists (AOP), the College of Optometrists, the Association for Eye Care Providers (FODO) and Local Optical Committee Support Unit (Locsu), worked with NHS England to develop the Optometry First model unveiled late last year.

The model had sought to make use of primary eye care and make it the first point of contact for members of the public and for long-term utilisation of care services with chronic conditions. It was said to build on the principles of Covid-19 urgent eyecare services (Cues) and reflected the joint vision of the College and Royal College of Ophthalmologists for ‘safe and sustainable’ patient eye care services.