News & Views

The Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme is recruiting for a National Clinical Lead to focus on the improvement of ophthalmology services across England. 

In response to comments by Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting MP in The Sun and on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme regarding Labour’s plans to make further use of independent sector providers in England to bring down NHS waiting lists, College President Professor Ben Burton commented.

The prestigious Zakarian Awards, which promote the value of research for all, are now open for submissions. Jointly funded by the College and Fight for Sight/Vision Foundation these awards are for early-career ophthalmologists to gain experience and skills by undertaking ophthalmic and vision research, which could lead onto further research or funding opportunities. Three ophthalmologists will receive a grant of up to £25,000 to conduct research over a 12-month period.

As the latest National Ophthalmology Audit (NOD) age-related macular degeneration (AMD) audit report is published, its clinical lead, Martin McKibbin, is encouraging more ophthalmology services to take part in future audits so that more data on the care pathway is available and treatment outcomes can be standardised.

This year’s Ulverscroft David Owen Award recipients are Dr Siegfried Karl Wagner and colleagues, for their study ‘Development and international validation of custom engineered and code-free deep-learning models for detection of plus disease in retinopathy of prematurity’.

We are today publishing our three-step plan to future-proof NHS ophthalmology and are calling on politicians and policymakers to follow our recommendations to secure a sustainable and comprehensive eyecare service for people across the UK.

Contributing surgeons and centres are invited to validate their cataract audit data on the RCOphth NOD audit website by 25 March 2024.

The Ophthalmological Surveillance Unit (BOSU), which runs the world’s only nationwide surveillance unit for epidemiological research into rare eye conditions, is being boosted by a new by a new grant from Fight for Sight that will enable its continuing support for UK research into rare eye disorders. Launched today, on Rare Disease Day, the funding from eye research charity Fight for Sight of £204,375, matched by the College, will support the BOSU for the next five years.

We are now inviting applications for this postgraduate research award, a collaboration between the College and Glaucoma UK, which provides up to £100,000 to facilitate research into glaucoma.

Last month, for the first time since it went digital, the British Ophthalmological Surveillance Unit (BOSU) had a response rate of over 50%, and 31 positive case reports for the deterioration of sight following delay and sympathetic ophthalmia studies. We encourage all ophthalmologists in the UK to take part in BOSU. It’s easy to do and you’ll be contributing to this unique resource that advances knowledge and improvement of the prevention, treatment and service planning of these disorders.