Speaking up for members at Party Conference

UK political parties hold their annual conferences – gatherings of politicians, party members and affiliated groups each year in the Autumn. Party Conference season this year coincided with National Eye Health Week, and what an opportunity it has been to raise the profile of eye health with MPs and ministers on the important role optometrists play in delivering eye care closer to home. The College was at the Labour and Liberal Democrat conferences this year, ensuring that our key messages for optometry were heard.

Up in Liverpool we were encouraged to hear Stephen Kinnock MP, the Minister responsible for primary care, speak at two events outlining the government’s plans to make better use of primary care optometrists to ease the burden on NHS hospital services in England. He stressed the government's commitment to delivering primary care differently, highlighting optical practices as part of the solution for the three big shifts recommended in response to the Darzi review: from hospital to community, analogue to digital and sickness to prevention.

Mr Kinnock also spoke about a “big national conversation” and plans for organisations to feed into the NHS ten-year plan – something that the College will be doing on behalf of members - a once in a generation opportunity to firmly establish optometry at the heart of the NHS. The plan will be published in the Spring of 2025, aligning with the next Comprehensive Spending Review. We were able to brief Stephen Kinnock on the importance of fully utilising primary eye care and highlight the benefits of primary care optometrists offering extended services which help to treat more patients closer to home.

We also took the opportunity to catch up with Baroness Hayter to discuss our recent campaign work on headlight glare, and ensure the House of Lords is kept fully informed of the College’s work.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Rt Hon Wes Streeting MP also addressed eye care head-on at a health reception. Speaking to a packed room, Streeting stated that he wants to see more eye care patients managed by optometrists in the community, and that he wants optometrists to be able to refer their patients quicker into hospital without going through their GP. In his main address at the conference, he also emphasised his desire to see greater use of technology in the NHS, and the importance of needing to share data and adopt new technologies at scale. Digital connectivity and image sharing are key enablers of this, and The College will continue its work to make this a reality.

We also attended the Liberal Democrat conference, held in Brighton. Following a record result in the 2024 Westminster General Election, securing 72 seats in the House of Commons, the Liberal Democrats have significantly increased their influence.

Health and social care were central themes in the party's manifesto and prominently featured at their conference. In his keynote address, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey emphasised the party’s commitment to improving the NHS, drawing on his own experiences as a carer. He expressed concern that the government is “talking about reform before investment” and warned that the NHS “cannot withstand” Labour’s proposed reforms without increased funding.

The College took the opportunity to engage with the 2024 cohort of elected MPs, briefing them on key elements of The College manifesto, including empowering optometrists to deliver more patient care closer to home and to push for a more connected NHS. Among the MPs keen to collaborate with the College was Steve Darling who is registered blind, and expressed a desire to work closely with us and other eye care organisations to elevate eye care issues further up the parliamentary agenda.

Meanwhile in Birmingham, the Conservative Party gathered for their Annual Conference, where the focus was on electing their new leader.

Speaking at the conference, Rt Hon Victoria Atkins MP, shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care reportedly emphasised the need to look at how the NHS budget is spent, rather than just simply increasing funding; and she reiterated the importance of updating the NHS app, as well as exciting developments in life sciences and the med tech sector.

Speaking at a fringe event titled “Making care closer to home a reality” Dr Layla McCay (NHS Confederation), Sarah Woolnough (The King’s Fund) and Jacob Lant (National Voices) all agreed on the importance of shifting from acute to primary and community care, with the event's focus reportedly being on how such a shift can be achieved.