NHS (General Ophthalmic Services) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025: CRWIA
This child rights and wellbeing impact assessment (CRWIA) outlines the impact of new regulations enabling independent prescribing optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners to manage complex anterior eye conditions in the community. The changes aim to reduce hospital pressures, improve patient access, and support sustainable care.
Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment Template
Introduction
1. Brief Summary
Type of proposal:
Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI)
Name the proposal, and describe its overall aims and intended purpose.
SSI Title: The National Health Service (General Ophthalmic Services) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025.
Purpose: To enable Health Boards to enter into arrangements with Independent Prescribing (IP) optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners (OMP) for the provision of General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) in the relevant Health Board’s area to patients who have a specified anterior eye condition.
Background
The Scottish Government published its NHS Operational Improvement Plan on 31 March 2025. This committed, amongst other things, to support Independent Prescribing (IP) optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners (OMP) to manage patients with ten complex acute anterior eye conditions under General Ophthalmic Services (GOS), reducing the number of these patients needing to be referred to the Hospital Eye Service (HES). In doing so, this will free up capacity within the HES to manage patients with more chronic sight-threatening eye conditions.
The interim measures phase of the implementation of this policy commenced on 1 August 2025. This SSI is required to deliver the full implementation phase of this policy, by enabling Health Boards to enter into arrangements with IP optometrists and OMPs for the provision of GOS in the Health Board’s area to patients who have certain anterior eye conditions. Such patients can self-present to the IP optometrist/OMP or can be referred to the IP optometrist/OMP from another optometrist/OMP following a GOS eye examination.
Start date of proposal’s development: 28 May 2025
Start date of CRWIA process: 1 August 2025
2. With reference given to the requirements of the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024, which aspects of the proposal are relevant to/impact upon children’s rights?
There are no aspects of the proposal that are deemed to be relevant to the UNCRC (Incorporation) (Scotland) Act 2024.
3. Please provide a summary of the evidence gathered which will be used to inform your decision-making and the content of the proposal
Not applicable
4. Further to the evidence described at ‘3’ have you identified any 'gaps' in evidence which may prevent determination of impact? If yes, please provide an explanation of how they will be addressed
Not applicable
5. Analysis of Evidence
Not applicable
6. What changes (if any) have been made to the proposal as a result of this assessment?
Not applicable
Contact
Email: eyecare@gov.scot