In response to the NHS England’s publication of its 2025/26 priorities and operational planning guidance College President Professor Ben Burton said:
“It is encouraging that local systems will be given more control over how funding is deployed to better meet patient need. We are pleased that NHS England is proposing that local commissioners must introduce payment limits for providers delivering elective activity, which can be set at specialty and procedure level. We have long argued that commissioners need more control over their budgets to be able to deliver sustainable services. In ophthalmology we have seen spending on cataract services hugely increased, particularly because of rising independent sector activity, while funding for services that support clinically higher-risk eye patients, such as complex glaucoma and wet AMD, have been insufficient. A rebalancing of this activity so we ensure best use of limited resources and do more to prevent irreversible sight loss is essential.
“We also welcome further detail on how progress will be made to meet the 18 week standard for elective care, with this target expected to be met for 65% of patients by 2026. We must not ignore follow-up patients however. 67% of patients in ophthalmology are already waiting within the 18 week referral to treatment, but we have serious concerns about the number waiting for follow-up appointments, which are often for sight threatening conditions such as glaucoma and AMD.
“The emphasis on systems rolling out electronic patient records is crucial too. Standardised interoperable electronic patient records and image sharing capabilities would make a huge difference in eye care. This would enable much smoother eye care pathways, reducing duplication and unnecessary referrals, and facilitate more eye care services to be delivered in the community rather than hospitals, where clinically appropriate.”