Multiple pathways

In an article allied to our ongoing series on the eye care pathways, Dr Kamlesh Chauhan and Dr Rob Hogan describe a view from the perspective of a major high street multiple

In December 2002, the Government set up a National Eye Care Services Steering Group to develop proposals to improve eye care. The overarching aim was to develop an integrated, patient-centred service with improved access, choice, waiting times and quality for all sectors of the community.

It might have confused some within the profession that diabetes was not included within the remit of the Steering Group. Its exclusion from this programme was as a result of its prior inclusion in a separate and already set-up programme - the Diabetes National Screening Framework.

This is now being implemented in a variety of manifestations within the majority of the UK. A fifth pathway was also proposed, covering aspects of treatment of anterior eye disease. The various stakeholders within this area of eye care are now working to develop an agreed and effective framework to allow optometry to be fully involved in this. This will, however, require training, formal accreditation and legislation, while acknowledging and remunerating the optometrist's knowledge, skill and equipment to potentially play a stronger role in reducing the burden on secondary care and providing accessible primary care within the community and high street.