Private providers must increase access to training in cataract surgery, ophthalmologists say

Private providers are now delivering almost half of NHS cataract surgery and must rapidly increase access to surgical training, the Royal College of Ophthalmologists has urged.

In a position statement setting out its views on the delivery of NHS cataract surgery the college also called on private providers to help ensure equitable access for all patients needing surgery and to contribute to the financial viability of NHS eye care units by performing a mix of routine and complex procedures.1

The college noted that 46% of NHS cataract procedures in England were carried out by the independent sector in April 2021, up from 11% in 2016. Though recognising that this shift has been vital to meeting demand, given the limited capacity …