Health Bill

The amendment would include in the Bill an example of a specific service that a primary care trust may provide for; in this case, glaucoma referral refinement services. The Bill provides powers for a wide range of potential services to be provided, but it does not provide examples. Adding this specific example to the Bill would not require us to provide such a service and, as currently drafted, the Bill does not prohibit us from providing such a service. The Government are currently funding pilots, one of which was mentioned by the noble Baroness, which are testing model pathways for glaucoma. We have recently referred the diagnosis and management of glaucoma to NICE. The pilots are due to be evaluated later this year. NICE aims to prepare guidelines on glaucoma during 2007. Like the noble Baroness, the Government support the appropriate movement of work to primary care to increase patient choice and convenience. As the noble Baroness indicated, the management of stable glaucoma is one area in which this might be possible. However, I am sure that she understands that we need to proceed on the basis of evidence. We are reviewing general ophthalmic services. This review is due to report towards the end of the year, after the evaluation of the pilots. The conclusions of the review will inform decisions about service provision. Naturally, I do not want to anticipate the outcomes of that review. Any prescribed services will be the subject of regulations on which there would have to be full consultation.