Simon Jones: Scotland the brave

As is often the way with optometry in the home nations, Scotland is once again leading the way with its NHS service provision. Not only has the fee paid to optometrists increased by 3%, the new figure will be backdated to all tests completed since April 1, 2021.

It may well be the final straw for many NHS optometrists in England, who had to wait six years for a paltry 1.9% increase in GOS fees, announced last March.

Beyond numbers, there seems to be a genuine appreciation from government for what community optometrists do and the benefits provided to the country’s health system. Public health minister Maree Todd said: ‘Increasing the fees paid to optometrists for providing this vital service ensures everyone across the country can continue to access high quality eye care services.