Challenge: capacity release and tackling long waiting lists in secondary care
NHS secondary care systems are currently experiencing a high demand for new appointments and ongoing patient care, leading to increased waiting times and significant strain on hospital services.
To tackle this issue, both national and local strategic priorities were set out to transition more ophthalmology services to primary care optometry settings where appropriate, meaning that services which have traditionally been provided in hospitals can be moved to the community. This shift helps reduce the burden on hospital eye care services whilst enabling patients access to eye care closer to home.
Primary Eyecare Services aims to support the strategic priorities of transitioning ophthalmology services through a commitment to providing accessible eye care in the community. This approach incorporates both effective patient choice and evidence-based practice to deliver services.
Action: establishing a single point of access
Primary Eyecare Services has established a central hub that serves as a single point of access for ophthalmology referrals across several integrated care boards (ICBs) and trusts.
The central hub was set up with a system-wide approach in mind and is essential for providing bespoke administrative and clinical triage, utilising experienced optometrists and collaborating with local clinicians to tailor services to the needs of each area.
Ensuring that there’s a tailored approach for each given area and robust quality assurance in place means that services can be delivered in a community setting, maximising primary care pathways in line with strategic priorities.
Collaboration has been key in developing the referral management processes, through work with local optical committees (LOCs) to improve the referral quality and other referrers such as GPs.
The result: managing referrals within primary care
To this day, the service is actively expanding, covering several areas across England including Bassetlaw, Mid & South Essex, Cheshire & Merseyside, West Hampshire and South-West London.
On average, 5000 referrals are managed per month and of this number approximately 30% of patients are redirected to primary care optometry for commissioned services, thus reducing the waiting list for secondary care services.
Moreover, a significant number of these patients will be discharged without the need for a secondary care ophthalmology appointment, furthermore alleviating pressures on hospital capacity.
The reaction: highlighting benefits of the service
“In the East of England, we have seen the huge benefits to the patient pathway from the use of a Single Point of Access (SPoA). From directing patients in need of eye care to the most appropriate eye care practitioner, hence saving patient travel and wait for appointments, to giving the patient choice of suitable venue and then ensuring all required data is available for hospital clinicians; an eye care SPoA is an excellent way to help reduce the burden across the whole eye care sector. The model is something we are looking at from a regional perspective, to offer to our six ICBs in our region.” – Emma Spofforth, Improvement Optometry Clinical Lead NHS England and NHS Improvement, East of England
To find out more about Primary Eyecare Services, please visit: Primary Eyecare Services provides NHS-funded eyecare services via local opticians.
Megan Lock, Primary Eyecare Services
