Read the latest RCOphth news updates and guidance here.
RCOphth would like to congratulate Dr Ian MacCormick, clinical lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, and his senior author Simon Harding from the University of Liverpool, for winning the Ulverscroft David Owen prize for the best-published paper titled: “How does blood-retinal barrier breakdown relate to death and disability in pediatric cerebral malaria?”
The journal Eye will host a global theme in its 2023 issue, "Global Eye Health". We invite all investigators to submit their best population-based research addressing the causes of vision impairment and blindness. Subjects may range from prevention, diagnosis, genetic epidemiology and screening for eye disease to intervention strategies covering treatment an economic analyses.
The British Association for Sexual Health and HIV has issued a clinical alert addressing syphilis. The President of the British Association for Sexual Health and HIV has contacted the RCOphth and asked us to share this information with our members
RCOphth held two sessions at Annual Congress 2023 in Birmingham examining the key policy priorities of ophthalmology. The first session explored the challenges and potential solutions to the ophthalmology workforce crisis - informed by an expert panel - while the second session saw the National Clinical Director for Eye Care Louisa Wickham discuss national coordination of eye care services. Both events facilitated a highly engaging discussion between panellists and the RCOphth member audience who were invited to pose questions, input with their experience and suggest solutions. These well-attended panel sessions were received by members as an opportunity for informative debate of the issues most pertinent to ophthalmology services.
It’s definitely going to be a busy first few months, if not for the next three years. I want to assure you of my commitment to the role and encourage you to contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions, to share solutions that positively impact patient care or wish to feedback on the work of the College.
Last week Members of Parliament debated the potential merits of a national eye health strategy at Westminster Hall. The debate, tabled by Marsha de Cordova MP, saw parliamentarians from across the political spectrum cite recent RCOphth statistics and explore several policy priorities advocated by the College. They discussed how an eye care strategy, supported by investment and resourcing, could help facilitate solutions to the ophthalmology capacity challenge.
Following the independent Pyott Report which reviewed eye care services in Wales, important progress on significant investment in Welsh eye care infrastructure, including full regionalisation of services, is being made. We update on this work, which includes £150,000 funding from the Welsh Government to develop a National Clinical Strategy for Ophthalmology. This article also examines a new plan from NHS Wales to develop the health workforce and what it will mean for ophthalmology services.
The 2023 Zakarian Awards are now open for submissions. Three awards will be offered to ophthalmologists who are members of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, to gain experience and undertake ophthalmic and vision research. The RCOphth Zakarian Awards are designed to support three categories of researchers.
The Royal College of Ophthalmologists last week hosted a webinar with King’s Mill Hospital Ophthalmology Department and NHS England’s Outpatient Recovery and Transformation team to explore how ophthalmology patient-initiated follow-up (PIFU) can be successfully implemented. The session, held following the publication of the King’s Mill PIFU case study and attended by almost 100 people from a range of professions, saw an expert panel deliver presentations on the role PIFU can play in increasing capacity as part of a wider set of actions, followed by an audience Q&A.
Influential thinktank The Health Foundation has published a report which examines trends relating to independent sector provision of NHS ophthalmology services in England. RCOphth Policy Manager Jordan Marshall summarises the key findings, and how they link to existing work the College has led.
