Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of allowing orthoptists to sign hospital eye service spectacle prescriptions in order to improve and streamline eye care.

No assessment has been made of the merits of allowing orthoptists to sign hospital eye service spectacle prescriptions. The Opticians Act 1989 sets out who may carry out a sight test and sign a spectacle prescription form. This is restricted under the Act to optometrists registered with the General Optical Council and Ophthalmic Medical Practitioners registered with the General Medical Council.