I’ve got nothing against bees but, it would appear, they are among the many things standing in the way of joined-up eye care policy.
The melittological reference came as Specsavers and the RNIB launched their latest report into the nation’s eye health. It came amid renewed calls for public education, national leadership and joined up NHS thinking.
The report highlighted not only the growing issue of age-related eye conditions but also public complacency, the inadequacy of NHS structures and the lack of political will. Given those factors it seems harsh to single out Apis mellifera.
It’s ironic that such a useful, industrious creature renowned for co-operation and social cohesion should be cited as an impediment to co-operation in eye care. Sadly it did so as the realisation that politics is likely to provide the route the changing those broken NHS structures.
Supporting the report was Labour MP for Burnley, Julie Cooper. She admitted that she knew very little about optics before taking on her shadow eye care role but quickly appreciated its importance and the scope for improvement. Eye care needed to be discussed more in parliament and that meant mobilising MPs. Apparently, MPs get lots of letters about bees but hardly any on eye care, she urged the public and the profession to get writing.
RNIB and Specsavers should be applauded for producing the report and conducting the transforming eye health project. Both build the evidence base and examples needed for change. Optical politics shouldn’t stop others following Specsavers lead.
It’s a shame the agenda for action has to wait until page 38 but that is a minor gripe for a document rich in facts and examples of best practice. The eye health indicator tables at the back of the report set out the scale of the problem offering the report a real sting in the tail.