A workforce vision: Two years on

• A government-commissioned research study into headlight glare, launched as a result of our campaign in partnership with the RAC
• 220 million media opportunities achieved, making us the leading and trusted voice for optometry
• The House of Lords Integration of Primary and Community Care Committee has recognised optometrists as essential in identifying and treating conditions in primary care settings
• Our manifesto to end the eye care crisis in England which calls for optometrists to be the first port of call for anyone with an eye care issue

• Established the first optometric education affix
• A total of 5400+ higher qualifications awarded to further expand optometrists’ careers
• 400 completions of the new supervisor training courses
• 49 GOC CPD points available
• 9 online research learning modules, in partnership with Ulster University, and funded via the National Institute for Health and Care Research

• Promoted the role of primary care optometrists to provide safe care for cataract patients, and reduce hospital backlog in Scotland
• Attended the Welsh Optometric Committee, which advises the Welsh government on all aspects of optometry, as a formal observing member
• Highlighted that eye care services are no longer readily accessible to people on Universal Credit in Northern Ireland

We collaborated to create an interactive dashboard that forecasts future local eye care needs. It will support evidence-based workforce planning and commissioning in each of the four UK nations, as well as demonstrate to eye-care professionals where their skillset will be most highly valued.