Moneo writes: misusing GOS

A lot has been written recently about General Ophthalmic Services and this month I would like to consider the moral angle of what we charge the NHS for our work. I fully accept arguments that the current set up is not fit for purpose and is uneconomic to deliver but I believe there is a matter just as important. We all know that the budget for the NHS is finite. We all know that costs are spiralling and that services are being cut back and rationed as a result. We all know that operations such as cataract operations have seen the goalposts moved in recent years in order to save money and thus requiring people’s sight to be in a worse state before surgery may be performed. I cannot help but wonder how many older people have suffered falls as a result of the additional wait time and hence suffered irreversible detriment to their life style.