Optometry Scotland, the representative body for optical professionals, supports the Scottish Government’s detailed proposal for the General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary (GOS SS) service.
Through sustained engagement and partnership with the Scottish Government, Optometry Scotland has championed the introduction of this specialist service. This initiative will empower Independent Prescriber (IP) optometrists to take on an expanded clinical role, reducing demand on NHS hospital eye services and general practice across Scotland.
It will enable a greater number of complex anterior eye conditions to be solely managed within community optometry settings, reducing the need for onward referral into hospital eye services and alleviating pressure on general practice. This service is an additional element to General Ophthalmic Services, a core primary health service.
The service is structured to allow intra-referral between optometrists, where non-IP optometrists can refer patients to IP colleagues within the community, reducing unnecessary hospital visits.
IP optometrists will now be able to manage a range of complex anterior eye conditions including anterior uveitis, herpes simplex keratitis, marginal keratitis, blepharitis and ocular rosacea, ocular allergy episcleritis, infective conjunctivitis, corneal foreign body removal and herpes zoster ophthalmicus.
An enhanced fee will be effective from August 2025 and all exams undertaken within the GOS SS service will be paid at the new rate.
Optometry Scotland has welcomed the detail from the Scottish Government and highlighted the importance of a fair fee for optometrists delivering this specialist service.
Eilidh Thomson, chair of Optometry Scotland said: “The development of GOS SS is driven by the growing demand on hospital eye services, which has resulted in long waiting times for both routine and urgent care.
“Building on the success of an intra-referral pilot during the COVID-19 pandemic where community optometrists effectively shared the management of anterior eye conditions, GOS SS recognises the crucial role of IP optometrists in handling a wider range of complex cases.
“By reducing unnecessary hospital referrals and keeping more patients within the community, GOS SS supports NHS Scotland’s strategy to shift the balance of care, ensuring timely, accessible and expert-led eye care for all.”
The new service agreement follows the announcement last year of the fourth consecutive annual increase of the overarching General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) fees since 2021, an increase of almost 20% in three years.
Eilidh added: “Our members are strongly in support of the new service and feel encouraged by the Scottish Government’s reiterated commitment to supporting community health services.
“GOS SS is expected to deliver significant benefits, including improved patient outcomes through faster access to treatment for acute conditions. The new scheme will also give community optometrists the opportunity to utilise their IP training to the fullest degree.
“Furthermore, GOS SS will improve accessibility, particularly for patients in remote and rural areas, ensuring they receive timely, expert-led eye care closer to home.”
Optometry Scotland has a successful track record of lobbying the Scottish Government and it is hoped in future negotiations that the organisation will also secure an uplift in the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) grant provided to optometrists, on behalf of its members.
The GOS SS service was previously referred to as the complex acute anterior eye condition management service.