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All optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners (OMP) in Scotland are reminded that they have a professional responsibility to ensure that anyone presenting to them with an emergency eye problem is appropriately managed.
This professional responsibility is set out as a first port of call requirement under General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) in regulation 21B of the National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2006.
This places a statutory duty on all listed optometrists and OMPs providing GOS in Scotland, when a person presents (either in person or remotely) in circumstances where the optometrist or OMP considers it to be an emergency, to either:
- examine the person; or
- if they cannot examine the patient, to take, with the person’s agreement, all reasonable steps to make an arrangement with another listed optometrist or OMP, hospital or GP practice to examine the patient. It would not be considered reasonable to simply ask the patient to contact another optometry practice.
This duty applies irrespective of whether or not the patient normally has their primary eye examination at the practice they make contact with.