PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Ophthalmic Services: Coronavirus (8 June 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when his Department plans to publish guidance on the re-opening of optician practices for the provision of routine appointments as the covid-19 lockdown restrictions are eased.

Asked by:
Matt Western (Labour)

NHS England and NHS Improvement issued a letter and Standard Operating Procedure to the profession on 17 June setting out that practices are able to resume National Health Service eye care services where practices have the relevant infection protection control and personal protective equipment in place. Decisions on when to reopen for private sight tests and services are a matter for the individual optician. Our understanding is that most high street opticians have now reopened for private and NHS care.

NHS England and NHS Improvement’s published guidance can be found at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/coronavirus/primary-care/optical-setting/

Answered by:
Jo Churchill (Conservative)
5 August 2020