Course: Advances in Eyecare: Referrals 2, Section: Unit 6

General

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Since our first ‘referrals special’ in 2015 the situation across the UK has changed significantly.

There have been changes to guidelines, including the revised NICE guidelines concerning the referral of cataracts, AMD and glaucoma. Some of the policy changes we heard about in our previous referrals special have taken root as regional variations become more established. And, fundamentally, attitudes towards eye health care and management in practice are changing.

This updated resource will look at some new referral processes, hear from experts in primary care management, and the overall aim is to examine the different ways of improving referral pathways, to optimise the use of optometric expertise and resources, to streamline the process and reduce the number of unnecessary referrals whilst maintaining the highest standards of care to our patients.

Last published: December 2020

Unit 6 - Cataract (~12 mins)

Clair Bulpin and Clare O’Donnell

Next, we focus on specific disease pathways, starting with cataract. We speak again with Clair Bulpin, who provides us with an update on the Gloucester Cataract Direct Referral Scheme (GCDRS). Clair explains recent updates to the scheme as well as future plans. In the second half of this unit, we talk to Clare O’Donnell Head of Eye Science at Optegra health, Manchester. Clare discusses the differences between private and NHS referral pathways and what optometrists may need to consider should a patient wish to be privately referred.

FileCataract File