This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Eyecare services review launch
14/12/2006
A £2 million investment to aid closer working between eyecare providers has been made following a review of eyecare services.
Deputy Health Minister Lewis Macdonald said that future eyecare services will focus on better support, enhanced preventative and quality of care.
He said:
"We have already made significant progress in the introduction of free eyecare examinations in April this year. This review will bring even greater benefits to the people who need eyecare.
"One of the positive aspects has been the wide involvement of so many stakeholders and the quality of response from our public consultation.
"In particular, the review makes a strong case for recognising the needs of visually-impaired children and organising support that is tailored to individual needs.
"Moving from recommendations to action will require a broad consensus and our Community Health Partnerships have a key role to play."
The Review of Eyecare Services in Scotland has been designed to examine every stage in the patient journey: from the first identification of a sight problem through diagnosis and treatment to support in coping with the impact of sight loss on a daily life for both children and adults.
Mr Macdonald added:
"Our wide-ranging recommendations set and maintain national standards that can be adapted and implemented locally, establish better intergration between communities, hospitals, social work and general practise and make better use of optometrists, orthpotists, and opthalmic nurses."
John Legg, speaking on behalf of RNIB Scotland, said:
"We welcome the Scottish Executive's proposals to provide integrated patient-centred services to support people on the sight loss journey.
"Properly funded and with robustly enforced standards, these proposals have the potential to provide Scotland with world-class eye care services."
Background:
The Executive made a commitment to the intergration of a patient-centred eyecare service in 'Delivery for Health'
With the introduction of free NHS eye examinations on April 1, 2006, the role of the high street optometrist expanded from the testing of sight to the provision of a more extensive eye health examination.
Three local intergrated visual impairment care schemes have already been set up in Fife, Edinburgh and Forth Valley and provide lessons learned and can be adapted for use in other parts of Scotland.
One of the key messages of the review is that visually-impaired individuals receive a better service if the helping organisations work together. This message is at the heart of the Executive's approach to improving health and social care for everyone.