As anticipated, the Labour Party won the 2024 UK general election, ushering Sir Keir Starmer into Downing Street as Prime Minister. The College has extended a welcome to the new government and offered to work with Wes Streeting MP, the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, along with his ministerial team, to end the eye care crisis in England.

The incoming government has a unique opportunity to tackle the longstanding issues in eye care. Health ministers can no longer ignore the challenges English eye care faces – an ageing population, capacity pressures on hospital eye services and delayed appointments which may have devastating consequences for patients who are unnecessarily losing their sight.

The College has been very vocal for years, raising our concerns and offering solutions to successive Westminster governments, members of parliament, and health policymakers. In the past year, we’ve briefed both Wes Streeting MP, when he was the Shadow Health Secretary, and the previous government, raising their awareness of the current issues and barriers to change, and offering solutions to ensure timely and accessible eye care for all patients across England. We have also worked very closely with Marsha de Cordova MP in her role as Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eye Health and Visual Impairment, and a prominent eye care campaigner, as well as with Jim Shannon MP and Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town, who are also strong supporters of better eye care for all.