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.
‘I would also like to thank everyone in the community optometry sector for their invaluable work and dedication in response to the pandemic – staffing Emergency Eyecare Treatment Centres during the initial phase of the pandemic, supporting the vaccine programme and the outstanding efforts made in returning to delivering pre-pandemic levels of care.’
I can’t remember the last time the Department of Health and Social Care or someone from NHS England spoke up for community optometry and the good it can do.
NHS England has, at least, confirmed that optometry will be one of six ‘priority’ areas in its project to expand clinical services such as glaucoma monitoring, outside of hospitals. That’s great, but it would need proper funding. NHS GOS sight test fee increases in England didn’t keep up with inflation before the recent period of percentage hikes.
Does anyone think there will be a radical change in position from the Department of Health and Social Care or an unexpected win from the Optometric Fees Negotiating Committee? More importantly, can these changes be implemented before the exodus from NHS care in England gathers momentum? It doesn’t look good.