Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure equitable access to NHS Minor Eye Care Services across all Integrated Care Boards in England.

In England, integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the planning and commissioning of services to meet local needs. This includes decisions on whether to commission locally enhanced services from primary eye care providers, such as minor eye conditions services.

To support ICBs we are currently planning a piece of work with the profession and NHS England to develop a standard set of service specifications for enhanced services, which will support ICB commissioning, should they identify a need for such services in their area.