Data use dominates NOC in Birmingham

Optometrists should just say no to data requests from hospitals if the same hospitals refuse to engage in community eye services, delegates at the National optometric Conference were told last week.

This year’s NOC was dominated by talk of data collection, IT and monitoring, and included a presentation on the National Ophthalmology Audit presented by clinical lead at the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, Professor John Sparrow. The audit aims to collect data on outcomes from the 300,000 cataract surgeries that take place on the NHS each year so they can be made available to the public.

Co-presenter Wendy Newsom, lead optometrist Moorfields Bedford, said a web portal had been created for practices to contribute.