Straw poll examines enhanced services

Eye care professionals have shown an interest in providing a range of enhanced services during an online poll conducted by Optician.

Readers were asked which services they would be keen to provide under the new NHS commissioning framework.

The straw poll found that most would like to offer management of external and minor eye ailments, with 20 per cent of 115 votes, which included multiple selections.

Glaucoma referral refinement and ocular hypertension monitoring came out second favourite, with around 19 per cent of votes.

Pre- and post-operative cataract enhanced services and dry eye clinic were the next most popular choices, with each representing around 18 per cent of selections.

Voters also showed an interest in offering pre- and post-operative refractive surgery, representing 12 per cent, and post-screening paediatric management, which won 10 per cent of votes.

The poll also showed that glaucoma referral refinement and ocular hypertension monitoring was the service most practitioners were already providing, being available among 31 per cent of voters. Pre- and post-operative cataract enhanced services was the next most common service, currently on offer among 26 per cent of a 45 vote sample.

Another question, answered by 39 voters, asked what was the main motivation for ECPs to get involved with enhanced services.

The majority of 59 per cent said it was to expand their professional role, while financial reward and security was the reason for 28.2 per cent of voters and the remainder wanted to help society.

Around 94 per cent of 32 voters agreed that offering enhanced services appealed to practitioners on the whole.