The Scottish Government

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ISBN 0 7559 5297 9

This document is also available in pdf format (788k)

Contents

Foreword by the Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care

Executive summary and key recommendations

Introduction to the review
Purpose of the review
Background
Format of the report
Context of the community eyecare review

Work done in the course of the review
The changing role of the community optometrist
Centre for Change and Innovation ( CCI) Patient pathways
Certification and registration
Services for visually-impaired children
Locality-based interagency work
Setting national standards

Conclusion, recommendations and an agenda for change

Key recommendations of the community eyecare review

The agenda for change

List of annexes

Annex A Membership of review and working groups
Annex B Glossary
Annex C Summary of the responses to the public consultation
Annex D Workforce planning issues
Annex E Report of the working group on children's services
Annex F Summary of a study of interagency work in three localities
Annex G A community optometry model for the future
Annex H Report of the working group on certification and registration
Annex I Report of the working group on standards
Annex J Shared and delegated care schemes
Annex K Epidemiology of common eye disease

Access to the report

Copies of this report are available in Braille, in large print and on tape. Electronic copies are also available on request. The report has been produced in summary form, with references to more detailed material in annexes. If readers have difficulty accessing the website, the information can be provided in alternative formats by contacting Mike Cairns on 0131 244 3572.

Terminology

There are many ways to describe sight problems. The formal certification and registration system uses two categories: "blind" and "partially sighted". When the system was changed in England recently, "blind" was replaced by "seriously sight impaired" and "partially sighted" changed to "sight impaired". This report recommends that similar changes be made in Scotland, as part of the review of certification and registration. It is difficult to reach a consensus on terminology. Some people find the word "blind" unacceptable, others prefer its simplicity. In this report neither the old or the new registration terms will be used. More general terms, like "visually impaired", "people who have a serious sight problem" and "sight loss" will be used to describe a spectrum from complete absence of vision to a partial impairment that affects the individual's ability to function.

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