What made you want to become an optometrist?
Sarah Farrant I guess I wanted to be the best practitioner I could be. After pre-registration I started a city MSc course to get more training. I did the additional supply before IP, it was the next logistical step. I never wanted to just do run of the mill refraction and routine practice. I’ve been an IP since 2011.
What did your training involve?
SF I did the additional supply first and then a top up course through Manchester and Aston [University], all studying was done remotely. I then spent a bit of time in a clinic to fill up hours – the usual requirements.
Do you find yourself prescribing often?
SF IP is used all the time in Somerset, we have the acute community eye care service (ACES) which is open to anyone who’s qualified as an optometrist. If clinics don’t have an IP they send the case to hospital whereas we can diagnose it and treat it. Because we can treat we get a lot of referrals from GPs, it’s becoming more popular now. Somerset has had ACES since 2009 and was the first county in England to set it up. We tell all of our patients about the scheme, and try to educate our patients and tell them they can come to us.
Are patients surprised when they find out you can prescribe?
SF I think they’re pleased that we have the capabilities to do it. They usually come to us with a specific problem under a specific scheme so I guess they’re not surprised at that point. It’s paid for by the NHS as part of the scheme, although we do private services too.
Do you agree with Mary-Ann Sherratt’s concerns that increasing scope of practice and clinical competence gives optometrists more opportunity to do harm?
SF Yes, your burden of responsibility is greater, but if every patient you see you refer, then where’s the job satisfaction? It’s much more satisfying to say let me treat you and to see patients getting better. Fundamentally the point of IPs is to take on responsibility but you know that you can practice with your own confidence level. It’s all about areas of competence, and if you feel clinically able to do it.
What advice would you give to those considering the IP qualification?
SF If optometrists are put off by it, don’t do it. You will get people who always want to be better practitioners and are driven enough to want to do it. It’s brilliant, it does open up more opportunities for the scope of service you can achieve. But there’s no point in doing it if you’re not going to want to use it.
Is there a need for it in every area?
SF Well as I don’t know every area I don’t really know. Part of the issue has been the lack of ability to use it once qualified, it’s a chicken and egg situation. Until you have got people that can do it you can’t set up a scheme but if no schemes are set up they say we’re not going to do that because we’re not getting funding for it. It’s a lot of effort and time and money to achieve the qualification but you’ve got to think what do I get out of it at the end? If a reasonable proportion of people did it then the scope of IPs is great. There’s an increasing burden of hospital work that’s only getting greater. As people realise that there is something more out there and it’s really fun and rewarding to do it, the job satisfaction is much higher.
Do you feel there will ever be a unification between IPs and services within England?
SF Not in the near future, it’s a local scheme and is done on a local level. I can only see that happening when the whole NHS system changes which I don’t think it necessarily needs to.
Different areas have different needs and requirements. The nice thing about the scheme is that it does allow you to apply needs of the area, not just a casual do this or do that.
In the past, there’s been a shortage of IP CET points, do you feel this now being amended or do you want to see more IP accredited published exercises and live practical IP accreditations?
SF I’ve personally never had a problem getting any of my IP CET points, so I couldn’t comment on the problems, which I guess is a good thing.
