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A move to incorporate eye health within the Public Health Outcomes Framework has been welcomed by optical organisations around the UK. The governments confirmation that it is giving serious consideration and backing via this framework has been given a big thumbs up by everyone including LOCSU, the Local Optical Committee Support Unit.
The NHS Outcomes Framework currently outlines indicators regarding the health of the public and allows this information to be used in delivering results and outcomes from commissioned health services. In essence, it is designed to allow the NHS to set its outcome targets in written form, strive to achieve them and assess which areas are improving as needed and desired, and those which are not and require an extra focus. This current framework will work inline with the new Public Health Outcomes Framework, which sets out desired public health outcomes, how they will be achieved and also documented. The concentration of this framework focuses on two main, interlinked points, increasing a persons healthy life expectancy and also ensuring that this is not class or society specific with a requirement to make sure that these numbers and figures are balanced across the board, in laymans terms stating that those from poorer or differing communities have the same expectations as those from more privileged areas and lifestyles.
A key point of the PHOF is that of 'quality' and not just life or the technicality of being alive. Good health is of keen focus, ensuring that regardless of background or wealth, a person living in the UK is subject to the same healthy life as anyone else. To achieve this, indicators are measured to ensure that the UK public are leading healthy lives across the board. As part of an enjoyable and healthy life, sight is obviously of significant importance, and as such the introduction of three major causes of vision loss or deterioration have been included in the framework. Although there are instances where a loss of sight is unavoidable, early diagnosis and indication of many diseases can prevent this from occurring. Age related macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy are the three conditions that are incorporated into the framework. This additional indicator has won sweeping praise from all in the UK optical community including the UK Vision Strategy, who are eager to see a continuation of early detection processes in order to help prevent conditions leading to avoidable blindness.