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Tuesday 19 February 2013

Commissioning guidance welcomed



The chair of the National Association of Primary Care and NHS Clinical Commissioners, Dr Charles Alessi, has welcomed new guidance for eye care commissioners which has been published by the College of Optometrists and the Royal College of Ophthalmologists. 
 
Authored by leading eye care clinicians, the guidance released last week (February 14) focuses on glaucoma-related services and aims to provide valuable support to those designing and delivering eye care across the UK.
 
Over the coming months, the College’s will publish a range of recommendations on improving services for age-related macular degeneration, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, low vision, oculoplastics and urgent eye care. 
 
Dr Alessi said: “These new recommendations should be the first port of call for clinical commissioners who want to make the most of the great opportunities to improve eye care across the country. The NHS spends over £2bn on eye care in England alone, and this practical guidance brings together the most up-to-date evidence and insight about how to organise services as effectively and efficiently as we can.”
 
The guidance was developed with support from a range of clinical commissioners at the National Association of Primary Care, Royal College of General Practitioners and the Department of Health’s Right Care Team. 
 
Chair of the College of Optometrists, Cindy Tromans, added: “People with eye conditions need a range of services in hospitals and in the community. It is impossible to integrate that care unless all the professions involved in delivering it work together.
 
“Working so closely with ophthalmologists, GPs and commissioners on this guidance was extremely rewarding and I would urge our colleagues to do the same at local level to see how our advice can help them improve eye care for their patients.”

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