08/10/2026
We have extended our engagement with ministers, parliamentarians and sector partners, with a focus on making the case for optometry as a vital part of primary care that can both drive improvements in the NHS and provide better access for patients.
✅Following the appointment of Rt Hon Yvette Cooper MP as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, we supported the Government’s renewed focus on the hospital to community shift.
✅We welcomed the appointment of James Frith MP as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for eye care. Setting out the profession’s clinical capability, we called for consistent commissioning of enhanced services, and the importance of digital connectivity to support patient pathways.
✅We launched a new wave of our Eye care everywhere campaign, illustrating the impact of fragmented commissioning for patients and how eye care can make a difference. The campaign achieved a significant media reach of over 110 million, including coverage across BBC, The Telegraph and The Mirror.
✅We responded to the GOC’s consultation on fee reform, arguing for a model that is fair, proportionate and grounded in evidence. We also urged the optical profession to share their views on the GOC’s proposals to revise the sight test, emphasising that changes must protect patient safety and uphold clinical standards.
✅Alongside partners across the eye care and sight loss sector, we called for Government action to address widening inequalities. Together, we highlighted the need for a national approach that ensures consistent eye care commissioning and supports people in need of Low Vison Services.
✅We delivered the pilot programme of our UK-wide roadshow series, running six events that brought the profession together, built a stronger voice for optometry, showcased progress already achieved, and set the stage for raising the profile of the optometry even further.
✅We hosted a practice visit with Stuart Andrew MP in partnership with Browett’s Opticians in Daventry to show how community optometrists are supporting patients and easing pressure on the NHS.
✅We attended the Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrats, Reform UK and Green Party conferences to advocate for optometry in national policy discussions. At the Labour Party Conference, Dame Diana Johnson, Minister for Public Health and Patient Safety joined our panel at our fringe event, Health outside the hospital. At the event, we made clear that community-based healthcare is the solution to revitalising the NHS and delivering timely care, closer to home.
Moving into the autumn, we will continue to build on this momentum, pressing for consistent commissioning that improves access, reduces pressure on hospitals and delivers better outcomes for patients.
