Adam Sampson, Chief Executive of the Association of Optometrists (AOP) says the current system is “failing patients” and making unnecessary demands on a GP service “already on its knees.”
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00:00 According to new research, hay fever-related eye conditions alone make up 1.35 million
00:07 GP appointments each year. As such, many people in the UK with eye-related conditions are
00:12 reportedly unnecessarily turning to GPs instead of eye specialists. This is thought to be
00:17 placing avoidable pressure on overburdened GP services. These figures show that GP practices
00:23 are delivering 2 million more appointments a month compared to pre-pandemic figures.
00:28 But even so, it's further reported that patients are facing issues securing an appointment
00:34 as a result and are having to wait up to a month in parts of the UK whilst others are
00:39 turning to private care. In extreme cases, these waits are thought to be putting patients'
00:44 vision at risk. The Association of Optometrists have said the current system is "failing patients"
00:51 and is calling on the next government in NHS England to support a minor and urgent eye
00:56 care pathway created by the optometry sector in order to improve eye care in the local
01:01 community.
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