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“Avoidable sight loss has, and will continue to have, far-reaching social and economic consequences such as loss of independence, increased risk of falls and mental health issues”

Commissioners must help “radically redesign” eye health services for the benefit of patients, the first-ever NHS eye health summit was told last week.

CCGs at the “Demand and Capacity” conference heard that the need for change was now “critical”. Eye health leaders warned that inaction could have far-reaching social and economic consequences.

National Head of Primary Care Commissioning at NHS England, Dr David Geddes said: “The first eye health summit has created a vital opportunity for commissioners and providers in primary and secondary care to come together to share examples of good practice. With demand for hospital eyes services growing from an ageing population, they are now busier than ever. There is a clear need for radical change across the health sectors to better integrate care so that patients can access quality services in a timely fashion.”

Opening the conference in London last week, President of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, Professor Carrie MacEwen, said: “With the continuing rise in macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, together with welcomed new treatments, change in the design of services at a national level is critical to meet the demand.”

Professor MacEwen continued: ‘It is certain that avoidable sight loss has, and will continue to have, far-reaching social and economic consequences such as loss of independence, increased risk of falls and mental health issues that will impact on a wider scale across the health services and social care.”

Chair of the Clinical Council for the Commissioning of Eye Health, David Parkins said that primary eye care services should be the first port of call to manage and monitor cases prior to referral to hospital and that community ophthalmology solutions lay in multi-disciplinary, collaborative teams.

The Clinical Council is calling for eye health services to be commissioned at scale to make services more efficient and cost effective. Clinicians also demanded better IT connections to speed up and share patient data both within primary care and between primary and hospital care.

Over 100 delegates heard from a number of best practice case studies of working models from across England. These showcased how improvements and innovation to patient pathways, involving both primary and secondary providers, had delivered efficiencies and better patient care, by ensuring patients saw the right healthcare professional at the right time and in the most optimal location.

This first eye health summit is one step forward in planning and improving hospital eye services, working with the key stakeholders to influence change and make a difference.

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