Enhancing the profession

These are interesting times for primary care optometry. Increasing pressures on the secondary care services, increasing awareness of the potential expanded role of eye care practitioners, and continuing development of specialist skills means we are seeing an extension in the activities in community practices.

In communities with a disparate patient base, perhaps with limited access to secondary care, optical practices able to offer a range of services are taking great strides forward. An excellent example of this is the Specsavers practice in Haverfordwest, where, since taking over in 2006, the director team of Andy Britton and Paul Skoczek have worked hard to embrace all possible enhanced service options available locally and have been heavily involved in the integration of new schemes. I managed to catch up with Andy recently who took time out between his local hospital macula clinic session and practice duties to show me around.