Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to expand the role of optometrists in delivering community-based eye care, including shared care schemes.

Integrated care boards can already commission community-based eye care services. Improvements in IT connectivity and the development of single points of access between primary care optometry and secondary care will also support more care being delivered in the community, including under shared care arrangements.