Use of private providers damaging NHS eye care, survey reveals

The independent sector should be commissioned to provide more NHS outpatient appointments, rather than just be focused on cutting cataract waiting lists, the president of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists has said.

A “workforce census” survey carried out by the college and shared with HSJ found almost 60% of respondents believed independent providers were having a “negative impact” on care and ophthalmology services in their area.

Speaking about its findings to HSJ, RCOphth president Bernie Chang said Covid had exacerbated problems caused by use of independent sector providers. These problems included cases being passed back to the NHS when IS care failed, and the NHS being left with a greater concentration of more serious, and costly, cases as the IS focussed on routine cataract operations.

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Source: HSJ, 3 April 2023