This report presents information on sight test volumes (both NHS and private) and on the ophthalmic workforce in 2005/06. Trends in these figures are presented from 1996/97. The information has been collected using a survey; the last survey of this kind was completed in 2003/04.
Sight Tests Volume and Workforce Survey - 2005-2006
Official statistics, National statistics- Publication Date:
- 24 Oct 2006
- Geographic Coverage:
- Great Britain
- Geographical Granularity:
- Country
- Date Range:
- 01 Jan 1996 to 31 Dec 2006
Summary
Highlights
- An estimated 17.5 million sight tests were performed in Great Britain in the year to 31 March 2006. This is an increase of 1.6 per cent (around 275,000 tests) on the volume estimated from the previous survey (for the year to 31 March 2004) and an increase of 19.7 per cent (nearly 3 million tests) on the volume estimated for 1996/97.
- Of the 17.5 million sight tests in 2005/06, 5.5 million were conducted privately (a decrease of 5.2 per cent on 2003/04) and 12.0 million were paid for by the NHS (an increase of 5.0 per cent on 2003/04). In 1996/97, an estimated 6.7 million sight tests were conducted privately and 7.9 million sight tests were paid for by the NHS
- The proportion of sight tests paid for by the NHS increased to 68.6 per cent in 2005/06 from 66.4 per cent in 2003/04. The NHS proportion of sight tests in 1996/97 was 54.2 per cent.
- There were 9,242 practising optometrists in Great Britain, of whom 6,079 were full time and 3,163 were part-time. Together this is equivalent to 7,695 whole-time equivalent (WTE) practising optometrists, an increase of 5.1 per cent (around 370 WTE optometrists) from 2003/04 and an increase of 36.7 per cent (just over 2000 WTE optometrists) from 1996/97.
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Last edited: 11 April 2018 5:20 pm