Response from the Irish College of Ophthalmologists in relation to the Publication of the Primary Care Eye Services Review Group Report

Wednesday, June 28th, 2017

The Irish College of Ophthalmologists welcomes the publication of the Primary Care Eye Services Review Group Report by the HSE today (Wednesday, June 28th) and is calling on the Minster for Health, Mr Simon Harris to ensure that the necessary funding is made available to implement the recommendations of the Review Group.

The demand for specialised medical care for those with an eye condition or disease in Ireland greatly exceeds current capacity.  The College has strongly advocated for a number of years that extra resources are essential to ensure that the number of avoidable cases of sight loss is kept to a minimum.

The implementation of the recommendations in the report is a key step in addressing the current unacceptably high waiting lists in Ophthalmology which are among the most numerous in the health service.

In response to the publication of the Report, Dr. Alison Blake, President of the Irish College of Ophthalmologists said,

“The recommendations in this most welcome Report provide a blue print that will ensure that specialised care is available to those that require it, both young and old, as far as possible in the primary care setting. It is of great concern to the Irish College of Ophthalmologists that Ophthalmology has some of the longest waiting lists in the Irish health service and we call on all of those involved to fully implement this plan.

Download HSE Primary Care Eye Services Review Group Report 

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28th June 2017