Summary of where we are today with the NHS Eyecare Services Programme
The NHS Eyecare Services Programme oversaw the piloting of new ways of working for the chronic long term conditions of Glaucoma, Age Related Macular Degeneration and Low Vision. Local pilot sites, facilitated by PCTs, undertook to apply service improvement and redesign principles to the three eye care conditions with a view to developing new pathways which were timely, accessible and community based. They also had the challenge of working in partnership across traditional boundaries of health, social care and the voluntary sector to deliver a patient focussed service.
Each pilot either built upon local ideas and initiatives or developed new methods as part of their project. This enabled them to tailor services to meet their local circumstances, as well as being innovators in their own right.
The initial eight (main) pilots were subject to a process of evaluation by the Health Services Management Centre of the University of Birmingham. The remaining (associate) sites were subject to a review undertaken by RNIB.
The evaluation and review were presented at the National Eyecare Services Conference at York in January 2007 demonstrating the benefits and challenges emerging from the new ways of working. They also showed the opportunities for take up and rollout to the wider NHS, Social Care and voluntary sectors utilising the Commissioning toolkit for community based eye care services (DH, Jan 2007)
- Presentations from the National Eyecare Services Conference in York .
- Commissioning toolkit for community based eyecare services (Department of Health website).
Soon to be available from this website is a ‘Way Forward/Key Points’ document, which will highlight some of the practical issues to be addressed when considering new models of care and service provision.
The learning achieved through the NHS Eyecare Services Programme provides new models and approaches for the delivery of eye care services. These can then be adapted and applied locally to meet the particular needs of the local population in providing easily accessible, community based, patient/user focussed sustainable services.
End of project reports from the pilot sites are now available: Pilot Sites - End of Project Reports
With the conclusion of the main testing and development phase of the programme, the focus now moves to promoting and sharing the outcomes. This also includes providing practical help and support for individual or groups of PCTs to apply the learning from the programme in their particular areas. Many will find that utilising the learning will help them to address issues such as:
- Raising awareness and the particular needs of people with eye care conditions with a range of professionals, including those providing primary care services and working in residential and nursing homes.
- Considering new ways of commissioning eye care services, including the option of moving some provision from the secondary to primary sector, subject to appropriate training and a revised skill mix.
- Supporting the National Service Framework for Older People, including avoiding falls, maintaining independence and avoiding isolation depression due to the trauma of sight loss.
- Providing patient focussed, community based, accessible services.
- Delivering services through partnerships across health, social care and voluntary sectors.