Association of Optometrists

Our Chief Executive, Adam Sampson, featured in Health Service Journal, highlighting the need for ‘bold decisions’ from the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in driving a shift in patient care from hospitals to community settings, following the abolition of NHS England. Despite Lord Darzi’s recommendation that funding should be transferred into the community, financial decisions continue to favour hospital-led approaches, adding pressure on already strained resources. Decisive action is required by the DHSC to reshape healthcare policy, rebalance funding and empower primary care providers. Read more from the article: https://ow.ly/xLUa50VtbHP

Calling all UK dispensing and contact lens opticians! We are commissioning market research to explore dispensing opticians’ and contact lens opticians’ attitudes to membership of the AOP, and to learn more about the individual ambitions and challenges you face in your profession. Who can take part in our research? All UK dispensing opticians and contact lens opticians are invited to take part, including those who are currently have AOP membership and those are not members of the AOP How can DOs and CLOs take part? Invitations to participate in our survey have been sent by email from our research partner Research By Design, and by our 100% Optical partners CloserStill media. If you haven’t received an email invitation you can find a link to take the survey on our website Prize draw Survey participants will have the option to give their email address at the end of the survey, to be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 Love2Shop voucher or one of two runners up £100 Love2Shop vouchers. For more information and answers to FAQs head to our website https://lnkd.in/eGuSqpsS

Important changes to employment law starting from today, 1 April The changes are summarised in this post, please refer to our website for more detailed information. Employment law changes from today, 1 April 2025 - The rates for National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage increase - Employers signed up to the Real Living Wage must increase their hourly rate to retain Living Wage Foundation accreditation - Changes to Statutory payments (including sickness, maternity and paternity pay) Employment law changes from 6 April - Employer NI contributions rise - Employment allowance for small businesses increases - Provisions for recovery of SMP by small employers changes - The right to Neonatal Care Leave for employees Employment Rights Bill – more changes to come anticipated this autumn Our employment law team will continue to monitor progress of the Bill and keep members informed. https://lnkd.in/eHBydv9x #AOP #AOPCouncil #Optometry #Optics #Optometrists #Eyecare

We’ve launched a new online hub, ‘Transforming eye care for older people.’ Optometrists are perfectly placed to improve the health outcomes of the UK’s older population. A handful of system adjustments could help reduce disease complications, aid falls prevention and support the management of long-term conditions. This is why we have set out policy recommendations in five key areas to meaningfully support the healthcare needs of older people: 1/ Allowing optometrists to certificate vision impairment 2/ Enabling fair access to Low Vision Services 3/ Making eye care at home easier to provide 4/ Having vision checks as a part of frailty and falls assessments 5/ Optometrists playing a greater role in public health and disease prevention. Learn more about the project: https://ow.ly/k6QU50Vs6sT

Over the last three months, we’ve made significant strides in showcasing optometry and primary care as the backbone of the NHS and crucial to the Government’s three big shifts in health, in particular moving care from hospital to community settings. Here are some of the milestones, representing members ⬇️ ✅ As a member of the Optometric Fees Negotiating Committee (OFNC), we partnered with leading primary care organisations to host a Parliamentary event that underscored the importance of community-based services in addressing waiting lists and delivering accessible healthcare. ✅We reiterated calls to expand community optometry services as a viable solution to meet growing eye care needs, responding to the Government’s reform plans for elective care and Healthwatch England’s report on the need for greater use of community eye care. ✅ We held a Westminster exhibition alongside partners of The Eyes Have It coalition, and we were delighted to have the opportunity to engage with Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the pressing need for a national framework to address disparities in eye care access and to ensure our healthcare system is better equipped for the rise in demand on eye care services.* ✅ We met with Marsha de Cordova MP to share insights from our co-commissioned PA Consulting report, showcasing the benefits of investing in High Street optometry for patients, the wider economy, and the NHS. ✅ We secured coverage in the national media on wide-ranging issues including vision standards for driving, eye care pathways, sight testing in special schools and the Government’s elective care reform plans. *The Eyes Have It is a partnership of the Macular Society, Fight for Sight, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), Association of Optometrists, Royal College of Ophthalmologists, and Roche. The activities of the partnership have been funded by Roche.

With the publication of the 10-Year Plan for Health and the Spending Review just months away, we knew our external affairs work to engage and influence parliamentarians and policy makers would need to start with a bang in 2025. That is why over the last three months we have continued to call for change and advocate on behalf of our members.    Here are some of the highlights. ⬇️   ✅ As a member of the Optometric Fees Negotiating Committee (OFNC), we partnered with the British Dental Association, British Medical Association, Community Pharmacy England, and the Association for Primary Care Audiology Providers to engage with 40 MPs at a Parliamentary event highlighting the critical role of primary care and set out five asks to Government – which were then delivered to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care as a cross-party letter signed by MPs in attendance.     ✅ We co-hosted a Westminster exhibition, as part of The Eyes Have It partnership, and had the opportunity to speak with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, on the stark realities of the 'postcode lottery' in eye care and the urgent need for national eye health policy for patients.*    ✅ We submitted to the Government’s spending review as part of the OFNC, highlighting the chronic underfunding of the NHS sight testing service in England, which requires adequate investment to ensure sustainable services and reduce waiting lists for eye care.   ✅ We endorsed the recommendations of Healthwatch England’s report, which emphasised the need for better use of community optometry to address the eye care emergency that the UK is currently facing – with 600,000 people awaiting treatment.   ✅ We met with Marsha de Cordova, MP for Battersea and Chair of the APPG for Eye Health and Visual Impairment, to discuss the findings of our co-commissioned PA Consulting report, ‘Key Interventions to Transform Eye Care and Eye Health’. Showcasing the incredible value of the NHS sight testing service for the nation we also highlighted the potential of High Street optometry to create NHS efficiencies and support economic growth, where there is investment in enhanced services.    ✅ We responded to the announcement about the abolition of NHS England, making it clear that primary care must be at the centre in any reforms of the NHS.  ✅ We surveyed all of our members on three topical areas through our Voice of Optometry research to guide our campaigning and lobbying efforts in 2025.   ✅ We secured coverage in the national media on wide-ranging issues including vision standards for driving, eye care pathways, sight testing in special schools and the Government’s elective care reform plans.    *The Eyes Have It is a partnership of the Macular Society, Fight for Sight, Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), Association of Optometrists, Royal College of Ophthalmologists, and Roche. The activities of the partnership have been funded by Roche.

We welcome Healthwatch England's latest report on the need for greater use of community eye care services to reduce waiting times for patients. We’re calling for a national framework for eye care to address inequalities in access to services, particularly for glaucoma and cataract care where many patients currently face a postcode lottery in care. We need to transform eye care delivery across England. Investment in an expanded role of community optometry would not only help prevent avoidable sight loss but also improve access to care and ensure better outcomes for patients. Learn more: https://ow.ly/n5XZ50VlgKe

Applications to join our Council now open! Our Council brings together representatives from across the UK and the profession to advocate, influence and drive meaningful change. Eligible members are encouraged to apply before 11 April for one of six designated positions. Who’s eligible to apply? - Undergraduate optometry students - Pre-registration optometrists - Newly-qualified optometrists - Franchisee and Joint Venture partners - Academic optometrists - Domiciliary care optometrists For more information including a role description and eligibility criteria head to https://lnkd.in/ez2BMdwe #AOP #AOPCouncil #Optometry #Optics #Optometrists #Eyecare #AOPCouncillors

Website login: temporarily unavailable We are currently experiencing an issue with our website login process. This means that access to online services including our events booking and CPD articles, our guidance pages, and MyAOP, are temporarily unavailable. We are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible. We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your understanding.

We welcome the opportunity for a 'serious reset' of the health fundamentals in England as the Government announces that NHS England will be abolished. Our healthcare system requires major reform, and the transformation of primary care is crucial for addressing the healthcare demands of a growing, ageing population. We are committed to collaborating with the government to ensure the success of the 10-Year Health Plan, aiming to rebuild public trust and deliver on a healthcare system that works for all.