Press release from the Health Minister announcing that optometrists are to get independent prescribing powers
The Health Minister Dawn Primarolo announced on 28 August 2007 that optometrists will be able to train to prescribe medicines . Patients will soon be examined, diagnosed, and get a prescription during one trip to the opticians. For the full press release, please see the pdf document at the bottom of the page.
Rosie Varley, Chairman of the General Optical Council, said "Independent prescribing is a significant development for optometrists, which builds on their existing clinical skills and experience. The move reflects high levels of public confidence in optometrists and optical regulation. For patients, it should mean that they get quality care faster, and more conveniently, than ever before. The GOC will play a key role in ensuring that optometrists who want to become independent prescribers receive robust training and can practise safely within their competence, so that patients and the public can be confident about their care."
Kevin Lewis, President of the College of Optometrists, said: "The College of Optometrists welcomes today's announcement of independent prescribing powers for optometrists. Allowing optometrists to prescribe independently will complement their existing diagnostic skills and further develop their role in the management of eye disease. These specialist optometrists will provide a valuable resource in both primary and secondary care environments. The College is working with City University in developing Clinical Management Guidelines that will be available shortly to support optometrists undertaking independent prescribing."
Brenda Billington, President of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists, said: "This new development will enable the creation of more opportunities for optometrists to work with ophthalmologists in shared care schemes. We are pleased that the Minister recognises this potential and that suitable accreditation processes will be in place to ensure patient safety."
The AOP welcomed the announcement from the Department of Health that optometrists will be able to train to prescribe medicines independently.
AOP Chairman Trevor Warburton said: “The AOP welcomes the Health Minister’s announcement that optometrists can now train as independent prescribers and that the proposed changes will apply throughout the UK in both the NHS and the independent and voluntary sectors. We are particularly pleased that this offers the profession sufficient scope to exercise full prescribing responsibilities within their areas of expertise. We had argued that patient safety was best served by concentrating prescribing responsibilities on the competence of individual prescribers - in line with the practice adopted for nurse and pharmacist prescribers - and that is what has been announced.”
The Commission on Human Medicines’ advice to Ministers was that suitably qualified optometrists should be able to prescribe any licensed medicine for ocular conditions affecting the eye and the tissues surrounding the eye, within the recognised area of expertise and competence of the optometrist. Optometrists wishing to take on independent prescribing responsibilities must undertake training provided by a Higher Education Institute. This will be accredited by the General Optical Council (GOC) and the optometrist must then register their new qualification with the GOC before they can exercise prescribing responsibilities. They will have to undertake continuing education and training to keep their skills up to date and maintain their specialty registration as a prescriber with the GOC.
Consultation on Independent Prescribing for Optometrists
The AOP's response to the Department of Health and the Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) consultation document on independent prescribing rights for optometrists can be seen as a pdf document at the end of this page. The consultation document can also be viewed as a pdf document at the bottom of this page or on the MHRA website www.mhra.gov.uk/mhra/MLXs
Supplementary prescribing and the widening of exemptions
Supplementary prescribing and the widening of exemptions under the Medicines Act 1968 to the drugs which can be sold, supplied or administered by optometrists, was agreed by the Committee on the Safety of Medicines (CSM) - information in the pdf documents below or click on the MHRA website www.mhra.gov.uk .
General Optical Council : Handbook on Therapeutic Training and Assessments; and Core Competencies for Therapeutic Prescribing
If you wish to view the GOC's competencies for therapeutic prescribing, click here. The GOC's Handbook for the accreditation of therapeutic programmes/assessments for optometrists, is also relevant to those who wish to know more about the educational aspects of practising to this level.
Reclassification from POM to P of chloramphenicol eye drops
The documents relating to the reclassification from POM to P of chloramphenicol eye drops can be viewed if you click on the pdf reports to the right of the screen. Following the conclusion of the consultation process, chloramphenicol 0.5% eye drops are now a P medicine and can be issued freely by pharmacists i.e. it is now available without a prescription for the treatment of acute bacterial conjunctivitis. The Association believes that pharmacists should prescribe chloramphenicol only with caution and that they should never treat red eye if the patient is a contact lens wearer without the prior approval of an optometrist. Whilst there are many benefits to be gained by patients from independent prescribing by pharmacists, the Association’s particular concern is that given the difficulty of accurately diagnosing many eye conditions without access to a slit-lamp microscope, the inadvertent treatment of a dendritic ulcer, for example, with a steroid, could be potentially sight threatening. Similarly, without access to a slit-lamp, microbial keratitis in a contact lens wearer may be mistaken for conjunctivitis with devastating consequences. The National Pharmaceutical Association supports this view and has issued advice accordingly.
Written Orders
The pdf document below entitled 'Therapeutic exemptions and written orders' provides an example of a written order, for optometric use
Minims Product Information Portfolio 2005 (Bausch and Lomb) - A Correction
The Association of Optometrists have been made aware of some errors in the Minims Product Information Portfolio 2005 published by Bausch and Lomb. The College of Optometrists and the Association of Optometrists have raised these issues with Bausch and Lomb, who have now issued erratum slips which will be included in all issues of the booklet.
The booklet incorrectly states that the following combination products are not available for use by optometrists:
• Minims proxymetacaine & fluorescein
• Minims lidocaine (lignocaine) & fluorescein
Both of these products continue to be available for use by qualified optometrists, as described in the medicines regulations of 1980.
