Optics responds to NHS review

Calls have been made for NHS England to roll out a national standard for each community eye care service based on the pathways already created by LOCSU.

Responding to an NHS England review, the Optical Confederation said services did not require complex monitoring systems, warning mandatory compliance with NHS systems tended to be ‘overly bureaucratic’ and divert resources from patient care.

‘In our experience, Any Qualified Provider contracts for community eye care services often contain excessive quality requirements and standards that are NHS-focused and overlook the greater market forces that exist in the community setting when compared to secondary care,’ a statement added.