Read the latest RCOphth news updates and guidance here.
The Department of Health and Social Care has today published its Elective recovery taskforce implementation plan. The plan covers England and focuses on ‘increasing the use of independent sector capacity across a broader range of specialties, helping to get NHS waiting times down and ensuring every patient can realise their right to choose where they receive their NHS care’.
As the demand of patient care and backlogs continue to put pressure on trusts and eye care units, a consequence is the difficulty in medical royal colleges being able to maintain high standards and resources to assess, examine, educate and train future generations of ophthalmologists and eye care professionals to deliver comprehensive care to patients safely and in a timely way. These responsibilities are incorporated into the charter of royal colleges.
The Academic, Research and Innovation Subcommittee of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists would like to draw your attention to two documents issued recently, regarding guidance on Specialty and Specialist Doctor Ophthalmologists Job Plans.
What was the experience of ophthalmologists in training in 2023, and how does this compare to previous years? Jordan Marshall, RCOphth Policy Manager and Sam Simpson, specialty trainee and Ophthalmologists in Training Group (OTG) representative, summarise the key findings from the GMC’s 2023 National Training Survey.
It is with much sadness that we announce the death of Honorary Fellow Terence Tarrant, and the College offers its sincere condolences to Terence’s family, friends and colleagues. The funeral will take place on Wednesday 2 August, at Mortlake Crematorium, Kew Meadow Path, Richmond, Surrey, at 2:00pm. The Tarrant family requests no flowers, but encourages charitable donations to Moorfields Eye Charity in his memory. Terry spent many years at the Institute of Ophthalmology in Judd Street before continuing his work at the Holborn branch of Moorfields Eye Hospital, and continued to see patients throughout his retirement. His interest in optic imagery and his skilled artistry allowed him to embark on a career in ophthalmic medical illustration, becoming the key artist for many ophthalmologists throughout the 1960s and 1970s. Alongside his paintings of the fundus and external eye, Terry contributed to illustrations of instruments and surgical procedures to many text books on ophthalmology.
The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC), in partnership with NHS England, has published a new set of ‘evidence based interventions (EBI)’ including measures for ophthalmology. The guidance aims to increase ophthalmic capacity in England by improving efficiency in the referral pathways for diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and cataracts into hospital eye services. Implementing these changes will require clinicians and commissioners to work closely together, ensuring effective pathways are developed that are properly resourced.
The Seed Award supports a diverse portfolio of research projects with a clear pathway to patient benefit. All research should aim focus on eventual diagnostic, prevention or treatment solutions applicable to eye conditions. The maximum value of this grant is £15,000 with a maximum term of 1 year. The Seed Award supports a diverse portfolio of research projects with a clear pathway to patient benefit. All research should aim focus on eventual diagnostic, prevention or treatment solutions applicable to eye conditions. The maximum value of this grant is £15,000 with a maximum term of 1 year.
The Royal College of Ophthalmologists have, through a guideline development group (GDG) chaired by Mr Patrick Watts, produced a clinical guideline on Abusive Head Trauma and the Eye. A draft version of this guideline has now been released for consultation and the College would welcome any comments or observations on the content, format or recommendations.
NHS England has published a Long Term Workforce Plan which sets out actions over the next 15 years aimed at tackling the NHS workforce crisis in England. RCOphth Policy Manager Jordan Marshall assesses the implications for ophthalmology and the unanswered questions.
In November 2022, The Royal College of Ophthalmologists Paediatric Sub-committee held a series of focus groups to explore the challenges facing paediatric eye care and identify possible solutions to secure the future of the workforce. Following the conclusion of these focus groups, the RCOphth has produced ‘Improving the visibility of paediatric ophthalmology: A workforce report‘ detailing key findings
