Impact of independent sector provision of cataract surgery

That this House notes the Centre for Health and the Public Interest’s research showing that the percentage of NHS cataract procedures being carried out by the private for-profit sector increased from 24% in 2018-19 to 55% in 2022-23 and that the increase is likely to mean there are fewer resources available to treat other eye care conditions, such as glaucoma and wet macular degeneration, which are generally considered more serious and can lead to irreversible sight-loss; is concerned that in a survey by the Royal College of Ophthalmology 67% of clinical leads in NHS ophthalmology departments reported that the impact of independent sector provision on patient care has been negative, and that clinical leads were most likely to say the impact of independent sector providers on their ophthalmology department had been negative when it came to training opportunities, 73%, funding of their department, 58%, available workforce, 50%, and their ability to deliver comprehensive services, 48%; is further concerned that the use of the independent sector to deliver cataract procedures does not represent value for money in the light of the damage it is doing to the future of universal comprehensive NHS provision; is concerned too that senior clinicians have raised fears of NHS eye care deserts in the future, just as there are with dentistry, and that increasing numbers of people will lose their sight unnecessarily; and calls on the Government to carry out an urgent review of these matters.