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<p>We are taking action to recover elective services, including ophthalmology, by
working towards the targets set out in the Elective Recovery Plan and providing the
National Health Service with record levels of staffing and funding. We plan to transform
the way the NHS provides elective care by increasing activity, including through dedicated
and protected surgical hubs, focusing on providing high volume low complexity surgery
as recommended by the Royal College of Surgeons of England. These hubs will initially
focus on driving improvement in six high volume specialties, one of these being ophthalmology.</p><p>Most
recent published data from NHS England shows the average wait time for referral to
treatment for ophthalmology was 11.7 weeks, below the national average of 14.4 weeks.</p><p>NHS
England is currently considering how eye care services should be commissioned to ensure
future sustainability. This includes looking at how more patients can be triaged and
managed in the community, freeing up capacity for those that need face to face specialist
care.</p>
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