Association of Optometrists

Today we’re announcing the first phase of education for 100% Optical 2026. Offering a range of CPD opportunities aimed at enhancing clinical expertise and patient care, attendees can expect expert-led lectures, workshops, peer reviews, and valuable networking with fellow professionals across the sector at the event. Provisions will be made for delegates observing Ramadan, such as prayer rooms and Iftar refreshments. Further additions to the education programme are set to be released in November and December. Learn more: https://ow.ly/GUqt50XaZQt

Dispensing and Contact Lens Opticians - there’s still time to have your say! Share what matters most to you in a 45-minute research interview with Research by Design.   Your insights will help shape the future of support and resources for DOs and CLOs – and every participant will receive a £40 Love2shop voucher as a thank-you.   Register now via the short sign-up form below 👇 https://lnkd.in/ewBxS5Ti

Last week’s Labour Party Conference showcased a clear appetite for neighbourhood-based healthcare, and we used the platform to advance the case for community optometry as a practical, proven route to better care close to home. Our activity over the past quarter across Parliament and the media reinforced that optometry can reduce eye care waiting lists, tackle health inequalities and deliver value for the NHS. We have compiled some of the key actions ⬇️ ✅ In partnership with Progressive Britain, we hosted a fringe event featuring the Minister of State for Care, Stephen Kinnock, as well as local leaders and health policy experts, which explored the 10-Year Health Plan and the steps needed to expand community services and remove barriers to care. ✅ We attended the Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative Party Conferences to advocate for access to eye care in every community, meeting MPs and health stakeholders shaping the delivery of the 10-Year Health Plan. We took part in two Re:State and Community Pharmacy England fringe events at the Liberal Democrat and Conservative party conferences to help shift the dial, making care closer to home a reality for patients. ✅ We welcomed the Department of Health and Social Care’s consultation to widen optometrists’ and contact lens opticians’ access to medicines for minor eye conditions. Expanding prescribing rights will make care more convenient for patients, reduce pressure on GPs and hospitals, and transform access to timely treatment. ✅We responded to the 10-Year Health Plan, urging immediate investment in primary care so neighbourhood services can deliver the promised shift from hospital to community. We also submitted evidence to the Public Accounts Committee consultation on reducing NHS elective waiting times. ✅Working with The College of Optometrists, we contributed to a BBC feature on vision and driving standards, calling for mandatory sight tests at licence application and renewal as an essential step to improve road safety. We also developed and published our joint core principles for the more robust implementation of driving vision standards, alongside welcoming potential proposals for mandatory sight tests for drivers over 70 as part of wider reforms to modernise road safety. ✅ We organised a practice visit for Zöe Franklin MP, hosted in Guilford delivering direct insight into how local optometry practices deliver high quality, accessible eye care. ✅ We championed investment in community optometry to deliver more eye care services closer to home, with our Chief Executive, Adam Sampson writing in the Health Service Journal and for Progressive Britain on the need for a neighbourhood-led approach to future-proof the healthcare system.

As the Conservative Party Conference comes to a close, our External Affairs Officer, Chris Whiting, reflects on the valuable opportunities to engage with the shadow health team and key stakeholders across the Party. Throughout the sessions, there was a clear consensus on the need to rebalance the healthcare system by investing in primary and community services and supporting neighbourhood-based models of care. We look forward to continuing these discussions beyond the conference season, working collaboratively with partners across Government, opposition parties and the health sector to build a more sustainable NHS that delivers care closer to home.

At the ‘Funding the Future’ session hosted by NHS Providers and the NHS Confederation, panellists examined the role that Public Private Partnerships could play in the NHS, from improving patient outcomes and ensuring financial sustainability to enhancing service delivery. Stuart Andrew MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, highlighted the importance of bringing care closer to where people live. Reflecting on his own experience, he noted that it was far easier to take his elderly father for an eye test on the Market Harborough High Street than to travel into Leicester for a hospital appointment. His remarks underscored the need for accessible, community-based care that supports convenience and better patient outcomes.

At the ‘From Hospital to Community’ session on transforming the patient experience, speakers explored the systemic changes needed to embed community care at the heart of NHS reform. The discussion examined how stronger connections between services can help ease pressure on hospitals and reduce health inequalities. Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst MP emphasised the importance of a patient-centred approach, calling for a fundamental cultural shift within the NHS from competition to collaboration. He urged a move toward a more integrated system built on partnership between hospital and community care. Such a shift is essential to deliver care closer to home and create a more sustainable and equitable healthcare system for all.

Join us in the centre of Manchester for a day of education designed exclusively for locum practitioners – delivered in partnership with the Vision team at Johnson & Johnson.

In the most deprived areas of the UK, healthy life expectancy is 18 years lower than in more affluent areas. At the ‘Ending the Postcode Lottery’ session at the Conservative Party Conference, speakers explored the need for policies that ensure all patients, regardless of postcode, can access timely, high-quality services close to home to address health inequalities across the country. Dr Luke Evans MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary for Health and Social Care, emphasised the importance of turning ambition into action, saying: “Everyone agrees that the leftward shift and digitalisation is a good thing, but what was missing from the 10-Year Health Plan was the delivery chapter.”

We have arrived in Manchester for the Conservative Party Conference, our final stop in this year’s conference season. We will be engaging with policymakers, health leaders and partners to champion the vital and positive role of community optometry in delivering care for patients closer to home. We'll share insights and key highlights from the discussions shaping the future of healthcare. Stay tuned for our latest news and updates. #CPC25

It was fantastic to be at this week’s Boots Opticians CPD Conference in Manchester!   A brilliant opportunity to connect with AOP members and colleagues from across the profession, in between insightful sessions from leading industry speakers and suppliers.    Always a pleasure to experience such an inspiring event!