Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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291. To ask the Minister for Health if she plans to publish a national eyecare strategy in view of current high ophthalmology waiting lists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55591/25]

Jennifer Carroll MacNeill (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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The Health Service Executive (HSE) provides optical services free of charge to pre-school children and national school children referred from child health service and school health service examinations who are discovered to have sight problems. These children are referred to the appropriate service for treatment. In such circumstances, these services will continue to be provided until the child has reached the age of 16.

The Community Ophthalmic Services Scheme (COSS) is a national fee-per-item scheme which was introduced in 1979. Under the COSS, medical card holders aged over 16 years can be seen by ophthalmologists, community ophthalmic physicians, optometrists or dispensing opticians.

The HSE Primary Care Eye Services Review Group Report, published in 2017, estimated that 60% of existing outpatient activity could be moved to primary care thus enabling hospital services to focus on patients who require more specialist diagnostics or treatments.

The National Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology, published in 2017, developed a model of care detailing how the realignment of eye services from an acute hospital setting to the community would be undertaken.

The HSE has been developing multidisciplinary Integrated Eye Care Teams in accordance with this model of care. These teams facilitate assessment, diagnoses, management and treatment and in some cases pre-op/post-op care enabling most patients to be seen in their own locality. Where necessary, patients can be referred onwards to acute Ophthalmology services to receive the necessary specialist input.

Transferring the routine care of children aged 8+ years to the care of local private optometrists remains a priority. Work is also ongoing to explore the best way to expand the scope of practice of optometrists so that they can do more in their daily practice.

The Programme for Government: Securing Ireland’s Future contains a commitment to review the National Clinical Programme for Ophthalmology to ensure more eye services are provided in the community. Engagement with relevant stakeholders regarding this is ongoing.