Verum writes: The quality of referrals to the hospital eye service

The issue of quality of referrals to hospitals has been brought sharply into focus, following a letter to The Times from a consultant ophthalmologist. This was in response to discussion in the newspaper encouraging patients to visit pharmacies to reduce GP and hospital workload. The consultant stated that: ‘If my experience in ophthalmology is anything to go by, the opposite will happen. NHS hospital eye clinics are inundated with referrals from the optometry practices of patients because they are not seeing the doctors in the first place.’

Letters of response have been sent from the optical profession, defending our position, and quite rightly pointing out there is a huge amount optometrists can do to ease the burden on GPs and hospital outpatients. However, we should consider why we get negative comments from a consultant, who is at the sharp end and so is seeing something that shapes his perception. If optometry really is to become ‘the GP of eye care’, we must listen to this feedback and determine what is actually going on.