Louisa Wickham, the national clinical director for eye care at NHS England, has expressed her support to integrate non-clinical services into existing eye care pathways in a letter.
Writing to eye care leads, Wickham said the eye care support pathway represented a significant advancement in efforts to enhance services across England.
‘It provides essential, comprehensive support at four key stages of that journey: initial appointment, diagnosis confirmation, post-diagnosis support and living well with the condition.
‘By integrating non-clinical support into existing eye care pathways, we can ensure that patients receive not just medical treatment but also the support and guidance they need at every step,’ Wickham wrote.
She added that the pathway met immediate patient needs as well as mental health support, fall prevention and employment.
The eye care support framework was developed by the Royal National Institute of Blind People and sector partners and highlighted what patients need at every stage of their eye care journey.
