North-east opticians qualify as independent prescribers to help ease pressure on GPs
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A trio of north-east opticians have recently qualified as independent prescribers, helping to ease pressure on GPs.
Specsavers stores in Peterhead and Fraserburgh have announced that three additional colleagues can offer independent prescription (IP) services.
This allows them to write prescriptions for customers with conditions affecting the eye and surrounding tissues, such as eye infections and uveitis.
Ophthalmic director at both stores, Niamh Shaw-Moir, as well as lead optometrists Harris and Laura Hamilton, have all completed the speciality course at Glasgow Caledonian University, one of only a handful of educational institutions to offer this opportunity in the UK.
Independent prescribing allows optometrists to clinically assess a patient, diagnose them, decide on treatment, and write an NHS prescription where necessary – all without the patient having to visit a doctor.
Optometrist director, Janet Renfrew, was the only member already qualified to provide the service, but with three additional qualified staff members means that both stores can now provide a full-time IP service.
The service will work on a triage basis, meaning patients will be assessed to determine the urgency of their need for treatment.
While advanced booking of the service is required, the service can usually be accessed during a routine appointment, but this is not guaranteed.
Niamh said: “I am absolutely thrilled that we can offer such a valuable service to the community.
“Our store is in a unique position to help meet the needs of people with eye conditions without them having to visit their GP or the hospital eye department.
“It will primarily save people time. Customers won’t need to find other routes to access the specialist care, and we can address the underlying issues as quickly as possible.”
The stores providing this service can be found at either:
• Specsavers Peterhead: 17, 19 Marischal St, Peterhead AB42 1BS or call 01779 873570.
• Specsavers Fraserburgh: 13 Broad St, Fraserburgh AB43 9AE or call 01346 410490.
