Optical bodies have welcomed health minister Dawn Primarolo's announcement on Tuesday confirming that optometrists will soon be able to train to get independent prescribing rights for any licensed medicine for ocular conditions affecting the eye and the tissues surrounding it.
As reported last week (News, August 24), the DoH has confirmed that optometrists must undertake further training before gaining independent prescribing rights and, just like other prescribers, they will only work with the conditions within their areas of expertise.
Primarolo said: 'Optometrists are trained eye health professionals. Enabling independent prescribing will not only allow them to make better use of their skills, but will also mean greater convenience for patients.'
The profession has long campaigned to bring about this change and the DoH acted after the Commission on Human Medicines, a government advisory body on this issue, advised that certain optometrists with the relevant training should be allowed to gain independent prescribing rights.
The DoH also confirmed this week that optometrists' prescribing practice will informed by guidelines from the College of Optometrists and qualified practitioners will need to apply for specialty registration with the GOC.
Rosie Varley, GOC chairman said: 'The move reflects high levels of public confidence in optometrists and optical regulation. For patients, it should mean that they get quality care faster, and more conveniently, than ever before.'
'The GOC will play an active key role in ensuring that optometrists who want to become independent prescribers receive robust training and can practise safely within their competence, so that patients and the public can be confident about their care.'
Kevin Lewis, president of the College, added: 'Allowing optometrists to prescribe independently will complement their existing diagnostic skills and further develop their role in the management of eye disease.
'The College is working with City University in developing Clinical Management Guidelines that will be available shortly to support optometrists undertaking independent prescribing.'
The move was welcomed by AOP chairman Trevor Warburton: 'We had argued that patient safety was best served by concentrating prescribing responsibilities on the competence of individual prescribers - in line with the practice adopted for nurse and pharmacist prescribers - and that is what has been announced.'
FODO chief executive David Hewlett, said: 'This is excellent news for the profession and for patients. It is good to see the skills of optometrists and the importance of eye health so clearly recognised. There is so much more we can now do to expand our services in the community.'
Brenda Billington, president of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists said that this new development will enable the creation of more opportunities for optometrists to work with ophthalmologists in shared care schemes.
? Read the latest article in our series of articles on 'Getting started in therapeutics' on page 12. This week Professor Tony Cullen's second article looks at managing diseases of the cornea, sclera and anterior uvea, and the glaucomas.