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Welsh Government
Data Provider: Welsh Government National Statistics NHS ophthalmic statistics by year
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[Expand]All sight tests paid for by the NHSPaid for by the NHS758,572750,244769,380776,827790,140795,188813,922348,740757,273789,252
[Expand]Total vouchers reimbursed by patient eligibilityBefore 2016-17 prisoners on leave was incorrectly included as an eligibility category. These figures have been removed where possible, however for some years the sum of individual categories may not add up to the total.302,614296,587291,776289,515290,889281,582285,333132,366246,043269,940
[Expand]Total vouchers reimbursed by voucher typeBefore 2016-17 prisoners on leave was incorrectly included as an eligibility category. These figures have been removed where possible, however for some years the sum of individual categories may not add up to the total.302,614296,587291,776289,515290,889281,582285,333132,366246,043269,940
[Expand]Total claims for repairs or replacements29,69731,18831,41034,03836,20135,46236,56412,24631,98935,231

Metadata

Title

NHS ophthalmic statistics

Last update

27 July 2023 27 July 2023

Next update

To be confirmed

Publishing organisation

Welsh Government

Source 1

NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership

Contact email

stats.healthinfo@gov.wales

Designation

National Statistics

Lowest level of geographical disaggregation

Local health boards

Geographical coverage

Wales

Languages covered

English and Welsh

Data licensing

You may use and re-use this data free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government License - see http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence

General description

Number of sight tests and vouchers

Data collection and calculation

Eye care services have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact will be reflected in the data for the financial year 2020-21.
Following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic at the end of March 2020, routine optometry services were reduced. There was a cessation of payment claims from April to August 2020; an average payment was calculated and paid to ophthalmic contractors.

Activity data on sight tests paid for by the NHS, optical vouchers and repairs are collected via a series of General Ophthalmic Service (GOS) forms which are used in the ophthalmic service payment process:

• GOS1 – NHS sight tests, including information on patient eligibility status.
• GOS2 – The optical prescription or statement given to the patient. This form is not used as a basis for reporting.
• GOS3 – NHS optical vouchers - including information on patient eligibility status.
• GOS4 – NHS optical repair/replacement vouchers - including information on patient eligibility status and voucher type.
• GOS5 – Private sight tests with partial help towards the full cost.
• GOS6 – Domiciliary sight tests.

The data is obtained from Primary Care Services, NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership. Ophthalmic statistics relate to services provided by ophthalmic practitioners in contract to Health Boards (HBs).

Frequency of publication

Annual

Data reference periods

The period this data covers is the financial year 1996-97 onwards.

Users, uses and context

Please find this information in the related statistical publication, as per the given weblink.

Revisions information

In the June 2019 release, data originally published for sight tests by ophthalmic practitioners in 2017-18 and 2018-19 did not use the grossing methodology that is used to match the total number of sight tests for those years. The data was revised in September 2021 on StatsWales as part of the 30 September 2021 release, so that it is now consistent with the methodology in other years.

Statistical quality

Please find this information in the related statistical publication, as per the given weblink.

Weblinks

Statistical Release:
https://www.gov.wales/eye-care-statistics

Keywords

Ophthalmic; Eye Care; General Ophthalmic Service; GOS; Sight Tests; Eye; Optician;