As the first week of GOS SS (General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary) launches across Scotland, we reflect on the past decade of Optometry Scotland activity and reflect on the growth of community optometry in Scotland. Community optometry has demonstrated clear and measurable progress, driven by sustained investment, effective collaboration, and the tireless work of Optometry Scotland, its members, and staff.
In 2016, the Primary Eye Examination (PEE) fee stood at approximately £37.00 for patients under 60 and £45.00 for those aged 60 and over. In 2026, the value of the Scottish eye examination has increased significantly, reflecting both the clinical complexity of care delivered and the strength of the General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) model in Scotland.
Today, practices receive £57.80 where dilation or cycloplegia is required for patients, regardless of whether they are are aged under or over 60 [1]. This results in a total increase of around 56% for patients under 60 and a total of approximately 28% for patients over 60. These figures contrast sharply with other UK nations, in England the NHS sight test fee has risen from £21.31 in 2016[2] to £24.13 in 2026[3], a total of around 13% in the past ten years.
Alongside this, rising activity and outcomes further highlight the success of Scotland’s community optometry model. Uptake of NHS-funded eye examinations have increased from 2.2 million in the 2016–17 period to 2.44 million in 2024–25 period, showing that more of the Scottish population are accessing community eyecare services.
Additionally, in the 2024-25 period 93.4% of patients did not require referral for further treatment and were managed within the community[4]. By contrast, in England, there were over 9.8 million vision outpatient attendances in the financial year ending 2024, noting a 27% increase since 2014, these figures highlight the continued growth in demand for secondary and hospital eye care services. In Scotland, the most recent acute hospital activity data shows that ophthalmology new outpatient attendances grew by around 1.8% in 2024 compared with the previous year, within the broader context of expanding consultant led outpatient workstreams[5]. For all specialties combined, there were over 1 million new outpatient visits and more than 4 million total outpatient attendances in 2024–25, illustrating the scale of demand across hospital services[6]
With the launch of the new GOS Supplementary Service (GOS SS) this week, this progress continues. This is a huge milestone for community optometry and Independent Prescribing (IP) optometrists across Scotland. Our Chair, Eilidh Thomson says “I wish every IP optometrist taking on the new service the very best of luck and success. Optometry Scotland will continue to represent the interests of its members and champion the vital role of community optometry within Scotland’s healthcare system. None of this would be possible without the dedication, professionalism, and commitment of our members. We thank you for your hard work, and for the role you play every day in delivering high quality eye care across Scotland.”
Around 142 community optometrists in Scotland had the Independent Prescribing qualification in 2016, representing more than a third of all IP-qualified optometrists across the UK[7]. By 2025, the number of IP qualified optometrists in Scotland had grown to 600[8]. This is despite Scotland only accounting for 8% of the total UK population[9], highlighting the Scottish optometry workforce’s continued leadership and contribution to Independent Prescribing across the UK.
Scotland’s optometry curriculum has evolved with the introduction of the new MOptom course at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) [10], meaning that all newly qualified optometrists will graduate with IP. As a result, we expect the number of IP-qualified optometrists in Scotland to continue to grow steadily in the coming years. Enhanced services, including GOS SS, are central to ensuring community optometry remains at the forefront of delivering primary eye care, supporting early intervention, reducing pressure on hospital services, and helping to keep Scotland’s population healthy.
We would like to hear your feedback on how the GOS SS service is working in your practice. If you have any queries or would like to log any feedback, please contact the Optometry Scotland office at office@optometryscotland.org.uk.
[1] Scottish Government, Directorate for Primary Care, PCA(O)2026(01), issued on the 13th of January 2026, Available online at: https://www.publications.scot.nhs.uk/files/pca2026-o-01.pdf i
[2] Department of Health and Social Care, Guidance on the General ophthalmic service fees and voucher values from April 2016, Published on the 22nd of March 2016, Available online at: General ophthalmic service fees and voucher values from April 2016 – GOV.UK
[3] College of Optometrists, College comments on DHSC update to GOS sight test fees and clinical placement payments for 2025/26, Published on the 10th of December 2025, Article available online at: https://www.college-optometrists.org/news/2025/december/college-comments-dhsc-gos-sight-test-fees
[4] Public Health Scotland, General Ophthalmic Workload Statistics, For the Year End March 2025, Published in September 2025, Available online at: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/ophthalmic-workload-statistics/ophthalmic-workload-statistics-statistics-as-at-year-ending-march-2025/
[5] Scottish Government, Using Discrete Event Simulation to explore “what-if” waiting list scenarios in NHS Scotland, Published on the 30th of June 2025, Available online at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/using-discrete-event-simulation-explore-waiting-list-scenarios-nhs-scotland/pages/3/
[6] Public Health Scotland, Acute hospital activity and NHS beds information (annual), from the year ending the 31st of March 2025, Published on the 30th of September 2025, Available online at: https://publichealthscotland.scot/publications/acute-hospital-activity-and-nhs-beds-information-annual/acute-hospital-activity-and-nhs-beds-information-annual-year-ending-31-march-2025/
[7] Scottish Government, Community Eyecare Services Review, Published on the 19th of April 2017, Available online at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/community-eyecare-services-review/pages/3/
[8] Extend Medicines for Optometrists and Contact Lens Opticians – Consultation Document, Gov.Uk Website, Published on the 4th of September 2025, Available online at: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/extend-medicines-for-optometrists-and-contact-lens-opticians/extend-medicines-for-optometrists-and-contact-lens-opticians-consultation-document
[9] National Records of Scotland, Mid-2024 Population Estimates, Published on the 14th of August 2025, Available online at: https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/publications/mid-2024-population-estimates/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
[10] Glasgow Caledonian University, Optometry with Independent Prescribing Course Information, Available online at: https://www.gcu.ac.uk/study/courses/moptom-ip-optometry-with-independent-prescribing-glasgow