Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the use of the optometry workforce in (a) early intervention and (b) prevention of avoidable sight loss.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for assessing the health needs of their population and for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them.

ICBs already commission National Health Service sight testing services through high street optical practices. Regular sight tests, whether provided by the NHS or privately, play a vital role in the early detection of sight threatening eye conditions.

ICBs can also commission enhanced eye care services from high street optical practices, including minor and urgent eye care services and glaucoma referral refinement services. These services further support the identification and management of eye conditions to prevent avoidable sight loss.