Choose and book 'in danger of collapse'

Optometrist and co-chair of the professional executive committee at Bedford PCT Simon Browning has warned that the current 'choose and book' referral system is in danger of collapse.

'Optometrists are not connected to the electronic booking system, which means they have to obtain a unique booking reference number via a GP,' he said.

Browning blamed the Department of Health and PCTs for failing to take optometrists seriously.

'The DoH still believes the NHS consists of doctors, nurses and hospitals,' he said. 'PCTs can't understand why they should link optometrists into the system because they think it is the job of the GP to refer.'

He praised the success of the cataract pathway scheme referred to by Patricia Hewitt in her first speech as health secretary last Friday but said more should be done.

'Optometrists are responsible for four million referrals a year, which presents a massive opportunity for primary intervention. I think the Government should follow the example of cataracts in other areas of healthcare too.'

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists president Nick Astbury added: 'The College is opposed to a target driven culture that emphasises one single condition at the expense of chronic eye conditions such as glaucoma, diabetic eye disease and AMD.'