In 2023/24, the number of people attending vision outpatient appointments increased by 23% over the decade, new data shows.
To tackle this, the NHS Confederation has proposed to decentralise ophthalmology away from hospitals by 2035.
This morning, the Department of Health and Social Care delivered significant updates to its vision profile. The new data reveals that, in the financial year ending 2024, 3.7 million people attended 9.8 million hospital outpatient appointments for vision related issues in England. This is a rate of 6,127 people per 100,000 population, significantly higher compared to the previous year’s rate of 5,795 per 100,000.
With the exception of 2020/2021, there has been a continuous year-on-year increase in the number of patients attending hospital outpatient appointments for vision since 2013/14.
The North West had the highest rate across the country, with 6,432 people attending vision outpatient appointments per 100,000.
To highlight cross country trends on a local level, the data team at Polimapper has visualised Vision Profile data by Integrated Care Board in England.
The highest number of people attending vision outpatient appointments was registered in the NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin Integrated Care Board at 7,449 per 100,000. This was lowest in the NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (4,511).
Regarding all attendances, the Hertfordshire and West Essex Care Board saw 20,697 vision outpatient attendances per 100,000. Explore statistics in your area below.
About this map
The map below shows Vision Profile figures by Integrated Care Board in England.
To view statistics in your area double click on the map or click here to launch the full page version.
Geodata context
The NHS Confederation published a new collection of essays focused on reimagining primary care for the next decade, with a spotlight on eye care as a crucial area for change and improvement.
The article highlights eye care as the most common reason for outpatient attendances in England and envisions a future where eye care moves away from hospitals and into community centres.
Written by Dharmesh Patel, optometrist and chief executive at Primary Eyecare Services and national primary care advisory group member at NHS Confederation, the article reads: “We envision a future where most eye care is no longer hospital-based but delivered in neighbourhoods by trusted local clinicians equipped with advanced tools, seamlessly integrated into the broader health system. No longer peripheral, optometry is fully embedded within multidisciplinary teams, co-managing patients alongside GPs, pharmacists and social care professionals in a unified ‘one team’ approach.”
“By 2035, this ambition has become a reality; a reimagined model of care will have resulted in a better patient experience, improved health outcomes and sustained efficiencies for the NHS and wider economy.”