Page last updated: 29-JUL-2008

General Ophthalmic Services

Background

ISD collects information on NHS General Ophthalmic Service activity in Scotland, as performed by eye care professionals.
Picture of an Eye
These data are collected on a series of forms referred to asGOS (General Ophthalmic Services) forms.

If a patient is entitled to free or subsidised eye care (excluding eye examinations), they must present evidence of this to the optician (Exemption categories).

The optician submits a claim form for the services provided, which is signed by both the optician and the patient. This form is sent to Practitioner Services for processing the payments. The forms are scanned and their information is stored in a database called OPTIX. ISD then collates these data to provide annual tables of GOS activity. The data exclude NHS Hospital Eye Services and optical service provided privately.

The information in these pages was compiled from OPTIX.  Below is a summary of the information on eye examinations and voucher claims for financial year ending 31 March 2008.

  • The number of eye examinations during the year to 31st March 2008 was 1,626,785 this compares with 1,573,103 during the year to 31st March 2007, an increase of 3.4%.

  •  3.5% of all patients who had an eye examination were then referred to their GP or Hospital. 96.1% of patients were not referred for further care.

  • 37.7% of all supplementary eye examinations were for further checks of side vision and pressure in the eye.

  • 450,716 vouchers (pairs of spectacles for which vouchers were redeemed, including complex appliance payments) were reimbursed by NHS Boards. This was a 1.7% increase on the previous year.

  • The number of supplementary tints supplied (9,527) decreased by 12.2% on the previous year.

  • The total number of patients receiving a primary eye examination increased by 4.2% from 1,480,187  for  year ending 31 March 2007 to 1,542,566  for year ending 31 March 2008.
    Of the 1,542,566 primary eye examinations, 1,535,777 where for ordinary residents, an increase of 4.5% and 6,789 where for exempt visitors, a decrease of 33.2%.

  • The total number of patients receiving a supplementary eye examination increased by 30.3% from 64,515  for year ending 31 March 2007 to 84,074  for year ending March 2008.
    Of the 84,074 supplementary eye examinations, 83,546 where for ordinary residents, an increase of 30.7% and 528 where for exempt visitors, a decrease of 16.6%.