Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of aligning the General Ophthalmic Services contract in England with Scotland and Wales.

Health services are a devolved matter and arrangements for the commissioning and delivery of primary eye care services differ across the United Kingdom, although the Government recognises the value of learning from the different approaches to the delivery of eye care services across the United Kingdom.

In England NHS funded sight testing services are widely available for eligible groups, including children, people aged 60 years old and over and individuals on income related benefits. Integrated care boards can also commission enhanced eye care services from optical practices, including minor and urgent eye care services and glaucoma services.