Primary Eyecare Services and Optegra Eye Health Care have formed a partnership that will allow accredited community optometrists to refer cataract patients to the private eye hospital group.
The agreement, which is supported by LOCSU, will see patients return to participating practices for post-operative reviews and on-going care. As part of the deal, practices will receive a fixed free from Optegra.
Optegra said most patients would have their follow-up check at the convenience of their local optical practice, while its consultants would handle more complicated cases or if there were any medical concerns.
On the benefits of the new partnership, Optegra CEO Dr Peter Byloos told Optician: ‘We will hope to increase the number of community optometrists that we work with around our seven UK hospitals, so even more patients can benefit from our excellent and timely care. While the optometrists will have reassurance that their patient will return to them for their ongoing visual checks and requirements.’
Dharmesh Patel, Primary Eyecare Services chief officer, added: ‘The agreement with Optegra will enable optical practices to offer effective cataract post-operative care in a timely manner to patients in the community. It will also provide an opportunity to redesign local services with primary care being central to that care model.’