News & Views

The Cataract Services Workforce Guidance March 2021 includes a RCOphth cataract workforce calculator tool Mar2021 to support workforce planning to meet demand. 

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists welcomes the contract reforms approval and introduction of the new ‘specialist grade’.  Specialty and Associated Specialists doctors account for 30% of the ophthalmic workforce and are exceptionally important in the development and delivery of care in the Hospital Eye Service.

The RCOphth seeks a Lay Advisory Group (LAG) member in supporting the RCOphth in the advancement of the science and practice of ophthalmology and representing lay opinion to the College.

John Buchan, ophthalmology consultant appointed as Clinical Lead for the National Cataract Audit Database.

In this episode, we speak with Mr Soupramanien Sandramouli, a consultant ophthalmologist in Wolverhampton and the previous CESR lead for the RCOphth. Mr Sandramouli shares his experiences and advice on how to succeed when preparing a CESR application and the common mistakes to be avoided.

We asked Professor Peter Shah (BSc (Hons), MB ChB, FRCOphth, FRCP Edin, MA (Distinction), Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon, University Hospitals Birmingham (UHB) NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham Institute for Glaucoma Research, Institute of Translational Medicine, UHB. Visiting Professor at University College London, Honorary Professor of Glaucoma, Centre for Health & Social Care Improvement, University of Wolverhampton and President of the UK and Eire Glaucoma Society, to write a piece for the college for World Glaucoma Week. 

The first of a series of a series of webinars about The Eye Care Digital Playbook was held on Monday 1st March. These webinars, held jointly between NHSX and The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, will look at how the eye care playbook can improve patient experience and directly help clinicians support their patients. 

The number of sight impairment and severe sight impairment certifications (CVI) decreased dramatically in April – June 2020. However with improvement in the pandemic situation, the numbers increased to pre-pandemic levels by September. Numbers dropped to about 80% of pre-pandemic level in January - February 2021. There remains a substantial backlog of people not offered certification during the lockdowns. We need to encourage ophthalmic care teams to identify patients not offered CVI’s during the Covid-19 pandemic and explain the benefits of registration to them.

In this episode, we speak with Andrew Blaikie about his journey into international Ophthalmology and humanitarian work, including the development of Arclight, a low-cost direct ophthalmoscope used all over the world.

Our updated guidance provides an overview of the current state of available ophthalmic imaging technologies and their clinical applications. It also provides recommendations regarding minimum ophthalmic imaging requirements for hospital eye services.