College covers impact of GP-led consortia

The impact of GP-led consortia was one of the topics covered in two days of lectures and workshops at this year's College of Optometrists annual conference at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool.

The event, with over 260 delegates, attracted global speakers and was the College's most ambitious yet, with a separate strand of seminars and workshops aimed at the newly qualified.

In a panel discussion chaired by Guardian associate editor Michael White, speakers explained how the forthcoming dissemination of fund-holding to GP-led consortia may impact on the profession. During the discussion, optometrist David Parkins explained how optometrist-led schemes had been successfully set up under the current primary care trusts and, backed up by GP Dr Waqaar Shah, hoped that future schemes would be similarly effective when established with consortia. Professor John Lawrenson noted the need for future education of optometrists to reflect potential changes to optometry practice related to, for example, referral refinement.