Eye care sector welcomes £29bn NHS investment

Optical professional bodies have responded to the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s spending review, which included an extra £29bn a year for the NHS.

The College of Optometrists, the Optometric Fees Negotiating Committee (OFNC) and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) all welcomed Rachel Reeves’ funding boost.

Reeves said through this spending review and the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, there will be shifts from analogue to digital, treatment to prevention and hospital to community.

The College and OFNC noted primary eye care services were well-positioned to tackle ophthalmology backlogs and provide more NHS services than currently commissioned to do.

Dr Sarah Cant, director of policy and strategy at the College, said: ‘By investing in primary eye care services, digital connectivity and preventative initiatives, the government has the opportunity to ensure the public can access eye care services when and where they need it, tackle the current eye care postcode lottery, and prevent avoidable sight loss.’