Valuing professional time, optometry's voice in health politics and securing proper funding from the government summarise the key issues facing the profession in the last few years.
A number of issues have suddenly come to prominence whose outcome will shape the profession of the future.
The publication of findings from a Plymouth study (see news 05.11.10) into the rash of false referrals produced by optometrists using non-contact tonometry puts the profession in a difficult place. The accusation is that optometry is wasting NHS funds. The profession needs to respond quickly and positively. There are referral schemes which allow optometry to save the NHS money but it is up to optometry to get the message across, the NHS will not come calling. This coincides with a survey by the Local Optometric Committee Support Unit (see news) that suggests LOCs aren't in tune with their local GPs and commissioning groups.
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