Independent Prescribing (WGOS 5)

WGOS 5 is a service where patients requiring acute eye care, who would previously have been sent to the Hospital Eye Service (HES), attend specialist primary care optometry practices, generally on the high street, for detailed assessment and management.

WGOS 5 Overview

WGOS 5 uses primary care optometry to reduce hospital visits by handling higher-risk cases in primary care.  The goal of WGOS 5 is to support the “A Healthier Wales” plan, improving access to eye care and treating more patients closer to home, helping them stay healthy and independent. The target is to cut hospital referrals by one-third (around 30,000 per year) and free up 35,000 hospital follow-up appointments by providing care in specialist optometry practices.

Key Points of WGOS 5

WGOS 5 does not replace acute eye care services in hospitals but is intended to provide additional capacity in primary care and reduce demand in secondary care by identifying patients that can be managed by specialist optometrists.

Who is eligible for WGOS 5?

Patients who have a clinical need identified by their WGOS optometrist, or have been discharged to WGOS 5 by the HES.