Look local: How Aberdeen is benefitting from the NHS

Despite a market crash in the granite city’s financially significant oil industry, local practices have had steady business due to biennial eye check-ups for UK citizens in Scotland being paid for by the Scottish government’s NHS budget. Yvonne Baxter, practice manager at west Aberdeen-based opticians Douglas Dickie, estimates 95% of eye tests given at the practice are covered by NHS Scotland.

Public awareness of NHS eye care entitlements in Scottish practices have come with increased clinical expectations from patients. Baxter says: ‘Our patients are aware that they have to attend their local optician if they have any eye-related health issues. This can be an issue if we have a full clinic. In Aberdeen there are a lot of opticians based in the city centre and we work together to accommodate the emergency patients.’