Correspondence between the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and a former Optometry Advisor to the Scottish Government: FOI Release

Information requested

Detail regarding a meeting held with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Neil Gray, on 4 November 2025. On 4 November 2025, a meeting was held between the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, and Donald Cameron (previously optometry advisor to the Scottish Government).

Could you please describe:

1. How this meeting came to be arranged.
2. The purpose of the meeting.
3. What was discussed, and what outcomes and action points were set.

Response

1. Dr Cameron wrote to the Cabinet Secretary Health and Social Care on 22 August 2025 requesting a meeting following his wife being diagnosed with wet age-related macular degeneration (Wet AMD). Due to parliamentary commitments the Cabinet Secretary suggested Dr Cameron write to Ms Minto, Minister for Public Health and Womens Health to discuss this topic further.
2. The purpose was an opportunity to discuss the Wet Macular Degeneration clinical pathway and how this can be improved to reduce waiting times.
3. Scottish Government officials took an action to contact NHS Lothian to ensure that literature on wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is easily available and accessible to patients. The service has since confirmed that every patient is given a patient passport which includes information on what they should expect from their treatment.

The Minister also discussed her pre-existing plan to chair a roundtable with health board ophthalmic representatives on the subject of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) early in the new year.

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