National ophthalmology workstream: hospital eye services

9. Conclusions

There is ongoing work to iterate and improve the ophthalmology dashboard and data sets in order to proactively manage waiting times for new and return patients and ascertain to sub-specialty level the number and types of conditions that are being reviewed by the service. We continue to develop and share new ways of working by:

• Optimising available resources;
• Training and up-skilling the workforce - including continuing professional development;
• Sharing protocols and pathways;
• Maximising equipment and space to improve pathways and flows.

To date, we have insufficient data to accurately use capacity planning methodologies to manage our Hospital Eye Services. However, multiple workstrands are being implemented, in collaboration with key stakeholders, which will have a positive and cumulative effect in providing a robust data set to understand the metrics and ensure that we proactively review patients in the clinically indicated timeframe, in particular, those patients suffering from sight threatening conditions.

In tandem with this there is an appetite by clinicians and managers to improve services and develop new models of care across Hospital Eye Services in order to:

• Reduce inappropriate referrals;
• Improve hospital flows;
• Increase the discharge rate for those patients who do not require review in secondary care.

The National Ophthalmology Workstream is continuing to work with Boards to support the implementation of their action plans, measure outputs from new ways of working and thereby promote gains and push boundaries for the benefits of patients and staff across Eyecare Services in Scotland.

Recommendations: The whole body of this report is made up of recommendations for achievable benefits. Each Board's action plan will drive ongoing change. This Report is intended to be a dynamic document that will also inform further solutions and benefits at all levels. With the publication of the Community EyeCare Review's recommendations, it is anticipated that closer integrated working will be opportune and that a NEW (National Eyecare Workstream) will emerge for launch and impact during 2017 onwards.