Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

Glaucoma and Community Optometry

30 April 2024 · 2 other contributors · 7,159 words

Opened by Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

Responding minister: Andrew Stephenson

NHS

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Jim Shannon raised concerns about glaucoma and community optometry in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • MP expressed concerns about the 36 billion annual cost of visual impairment to the UK economy and highlighted that 22 people lose their vision preventably each week due to glaucoma.
  • MP noted a 30% increase in glaucoma referrals for individuals aged 40 to 60 over a year and stressed the importance of early diagnosis and regular eye tests.
  • MP urged the Minister to address long NHS waiting lists for ophthalmology appointments and suggested combining cataract and glaucoma surgeries as a potential cost-effective solution.

Key requests to Government

The MP urged the Minister to address long NHS waiting lists for ophthalmology appointments and suggested methodologies to increase referrals from primary care to hospitals. He also requested a review of funding mechanisms in Northern Ireland to ensure stable financial support for community-based glaucoma services and asked whether combining cataract and glaucoma surgeries could be a cost-effective solution.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

The MP expressed concerns about the rising cost of visual impairment to the UK economy at £36 billion annually, while up to 22 people lose their vision preventably each week. He highlighted that glaucoma referrals in individuals aged 40 to 60 have increased by 30% over a year and stressed the importance of early diagnosis and regular eye tests due to the hereditary nature of the condition. The MP shared personal anecdotes, including instances where opticians detected serious health issues such as tumours, underlining the critical role of optometrists in preventive healthcare.

Other contributors (2)
  • Andrew Gwynne Ind Gorton and Denton

    Placed on the record his visit to Belfast, meeting Members of the Assembly at Stormont, Harland & Wolff, touring around Belfast, and visiting an inclusive school. Mr Andrew Gwynne expressed concerns about the significant waiting lists for ophthalmology services, which currently stand at over 600,000 patients. He highlighted that glaucoma often develops gradually without symptoms, making routine eye tests crucial for early detection and prevention of permanent sight loss. The estimated annual cost to the economy from sight loss is more than £25 billion. Mr Gwynne urged the Minister to commit to improving access to ophthalmology services and integrating modern technology in eye care.

  • Gregory Campbell DUP East Londonderry

    Congratulated the hon. Friend on securing the debate and suggested that issues discussed are symptomatic of other parts of the health service. Emphasised the importance of regular eye testing to prevent problems from worsening.

Government Response

Andrew Stephenson

It is a pleasure to see Dame Caroline Dinenage in the chair. I thank Jim Shannon, Mr Campbell, Andrew Gwynne for their contributions. Losing eyesight can be devastating; I pay tribute to charities aiding glaucoma patients. Glaucoma affected my family members, including my great aunt and mother. Community optometry plays a crucial role in early detection of glaucoma. NHS invests over £500 million annually in sight tests and optical vouchers, providing over 12 million free eye tests between 2022-23 without caps on demand. We are committed to using community optometrists to alleviate secondary care pressures through schemes like Devon's diagnostics hub that reduced backlogs by almost 90%. Integrated care boards currently have glaucoma referral filtering in place, and we assess the potential for further expansion. Services suffered during the pandemic; thus, an elective recovery plan with over £8 billion funding is set to reduce waiting times and expand surgical hubs. NHS England's transformation programme runs projects across each integrated care system area to test how improving IT links between primary and secondary care could save time and free up hospital capacity. ICBs can commission services based on local need, some trying new ways of working for community-based glaucoma management where clinically appropriate. Moorfields Biomedical Research Centre was awarded £20 million to carry out another five years of world-leading research in December 2022. NHS England evaluates different interventions across the country to improve access and deliver quality treatment, providing an evidence base for ICBs to take decisions in local communities' best interests.

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