NHS Practitioner Health eBook Release - Understanding and Managing Your Emotions

To mark World Mental Health Day, NHS Practitioner Health was delighted to announce the release of the ‘Understanding and Managing Your Emotions’, a new eBook written by NHS Practitioner Health’s Medical Director, Dr Zaid Al-Najjar, alongside two of their highly...

NHS Practitioner Health releases National Guide for Health and Care Professionals Affected by Suicide

To mark the second year of the UK’s National Suicide Memorial Day for Health and Care Workers, NHS Practitioner Health will launch a suicide prevention and postvention navigation guide for health and care professionals. The National Suicide Memorial Day for...

Treatment for cause of sudden sight loss now available through the NHS in England

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has approved a treatment for Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), called Idebenone (Raxone), in those aged 12 and above who are affected by the condition. LHON is a rare mitochondrial genetic...

First medical AI model with globally representative data

Quest to build the first medical AI foundation model with globally representative data. A research consortium of over 100 study groups in more than 65 countries has launched the Global RETFound initiative, a collaborative effort to develop the first globally...

National dementia guidelines updated thanks to Moorfields-led initiative

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has today updated its national dementia guidance to recommend that all patients newly diagnosed with dementia are offered an eye health assessment with an optometrist. Previously, patients diagnosed with dementia were...

College leads call for standardised electronic health records

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists is leading an urgent joint call for the national standardisation of electronic health records (EHRs) in eyecare, which they believe is essential to improve services, outcomes and patient experience. Organisations representing professionals in primary, secondary,...

The College of Optometrists welcomes the new community-based approach to health care in England

The College of Optometrists welcomes the new community-based approach to health care in England and highlights how eyecare is already well-placed to meet it. Dr Gillian Rudduck MCOptom, President of The College of Optometrists, commented: “The College of Optometrists is...

RNIB's verdict on the 10-Year Plan for the NHS

The UK Government has released the long awaited 10-Year Plan to reform the National Health Service (NHS) in England. The Plan outlines the details and proposals to deliver on the promised three changes which would transform healthcare across the country:...

Shocking experiences of blind patients lead to improved cervical screening standards

Blind women in Scotland have reported distressing experiences when attending cervical screening appointments, with some describing procedures as “rough” and “painful,” and feeling uninformed and unsupported throughout. There are over 180,000 people with sight loss in Scotland, of whom 60%...

The College of Optometrists welcomes Healthwatch England's primary eye care report recommendations

The College of Optometrists welcomes Healthwatch England’s recommendations to commission more optometry services within primary care to reduce hospital waiting times and improve patient outcomes Professor Irene Ctori FCOptom, Vice-President of The College of Optometrists, commented: “Healthwatch England’s new report...

Will the scrapping of NHS England bring big changes for the nation's eye health?

Reacting to the announcement by the Prime Minster of the abolition of NHS England, Vivienne Francis, Chief of Strategy and Public Affairs at RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People) said: "The abolition of NHS England has been heralded as...

Leading sight loss charity reveals urgent need for change in attitudes towards blind mothers

Ahead of Mothers’ Day, leading sight loss charity the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) has released research that shows the barriers faced by mothers with sight loss during pregnancy and into their first years of motherhood. This research...