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Jay Varia

Ophthalmology is the second busiest outpatient specialty in the UK with 9 million outpatient appointments per annum for 1482 consultant ophthalmologists, 27% who are due to retire this year (Royal College of Ophthalmologists Workforce Census 2018). Ophthalmic professionals already work alongside ophthalmologists to help ease the burden, however there are a range of training initiatives which has necessitated the emergence of more than one education framework in an attempt towards
standardisation.

The talk will describe a pioneering Advanced Practice education programme set up
combining all these frameworks in a Master’s degree to incorporate the four pillars of clinical practice, leadership, education and research. There will be a brief description of curriculum design, quality assurance as well as ophthalmology and three ophthalmic healthcare professional body involvement. The impact training has had on the glaucoma service at Moorfields Eye Hospital will be discussed; the numbers and types of patients, including undertaking laser procedures, that are seen autonomously by non-medical ophthalmic professionals. The talk will conclude by summarising a research project on the impact of the emergence of Advanced Practice on the professional identities of ophthalmologists, orthoptists, ophthalmic nurses, and optometrists, describing the wider impact on interprofessional collaboration, transformational, interprofessional and transformational education.

Key sentences

  • There is a shortage of ophthalmologists in the UK and 10 million outpatient appointments per annum
  • One solution is to up-skill ophthalmic healthcare professionals such as optometrists, orthoptists and ophthalmic nurses to undertake low to medium risk care
  • Education intervention combining three national frameworks in a Masters training programme
  • Case study of the impact training has had on the stratification of care in the glaucoma service at Moorfields Eye Hospital
  • Research project on the impact of Advanced Practice on the
    professional identities of ophthalmic healthcare professionals