Written Statement: Optometry Contract Negotiations 2024-25

Following the successful conclusion of the optometry contract negotiations between the Welsh Government, NHS Wales and Optometry Wales for 2024-25, I am pleased to confirm I have agreed financial arrangements for optometry services which include an additional contract envelope uplift of £3.9m for 2024-25. 

These build on the principles of the new optometry contract and secure the delivery of more clinical work in primary care optometry services from hospital eyecare services, helping to reduce the demand for and increase capacity to provide specialist eye care.

This year the areas prioritised in the contract negotiations support the workforce to deliver additional pathways in optometry, with an emphasis on the high-volume glaucoma pathway and increasing the number of optometrists with higher qualifications to provide this service.

It also supports the upskilling of the optometry profession, with a focus on recruitment and retention to maintain the sustainable workforce needed to deliver the shift in services into the community.

Specific highlights include:

• Additional funding support for optometrists and dispensing opticians for their continuing professional development, with higher fees associated with gaining higher qualifications and providing Wales General Ophthalmic Services 3, 4 and 5 pathways;
• Additional optometry practice financial assistance to support practitioners to gain the professional higher certificate in glaucoma – this is the area where we see the fewest optometrists with additional qualifications;
• A separation of the fees at WGOS 4 between the medical retina and glaucoma pathways to recognise the difference in clinical responsibilities between the two;
• A doubling of the fee paid to optometry practices to provide support and training to student optometrists (pre-registration optometrists), to support the training and retention of the workforce in Wales.

This underpins previous years optometry financial arrangements and represents a further significant increase to support the ongoing reform of optometry, aligned to the commitments set out in the Future Approach for Optometry Services, founded on the key principles of prudent healthcare. This aligns to the Primary Care Model, A Healthier Wales and the strategic direction set in Programme for Government.

We have moved forward at pace with optometry contract reform in recent years, through robust dialogue, discussion and collaborative working with NHS Wales and Optometry Wales. This has ensured we reached the best outcomes for all stakeholders during negotiations, enabling optometrists to work at the top of their licence. 

Wales remains at the cutting edge of the UK, leading reform clinically from a patient centred perspective, and upskilling the profession fully to embrace the delivery of clinical services in primary care optometry.