View from Locsu: It is important we make inroads with NHS trusts

Increasing levels of step-down care to take direct pressure off NHS eye service departments is the immediate focus for the optical sector.

While extended primary care services were being introduced at a good pace in line with our strategic aims, it is important we make inroads with NHS trusts to take much of the routine follow up eye treatment into the community.

We have seen media headlines about hospital eye services creaking under the strain of a huge increase in appointments.

A sizeable chunk of this work being carried out in ophthalmology departments is routine follow-up which could easily be carried out in optical practices.