Profession to work on refined referral plan

A working group to explore ways to tackle increased hospital referrals of low risk patients resulting from the introduction of the NICE glaucoma guidelines could be in place as early as September.

The news follows the meeting of representatives from the AOP, the College of Optometrists and FODO on August 5 to discuss the implementation of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines and a further AOP hosted meeting on August 6 attended by representatives from the optical bodies, the Department of Health, the RNIB, the International Glaucoma Association and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth).

A statement on the outcome of the meetings said the 'mood was positive' and that all parties agreed that a working group was needed to find a solution for the increase in referral rates of low risk patients to hospital departments. The statement added that there was 'unanimous' agreement that community optometrists would be able to increase the accuracy of referrals on IOPs alone if they were funded to repeat IOPs using slit-lamp mounted Goldmann applanation tonometers.