30 May 2025

FODO member update – 30 May

This week:

• WHO calls for scaling up eye, hearing care and prevention
• Hakim Group partners with ICG to help drive growth
• Optometrists urged to use ‘superpowers' to drive change at NOC
• Lack of funding puts eye care services at risk
• At a glance
• Health policy

WHO calls for scaling up eye, hearing care and prevention

The World Health Organization's (WHO) latest update highlights a recent resolution that has called for improving access to vision and hearing care for billions of people.

WHO notes that the burden of unaddressed vision impairment and hearing loss remains disproportionately high in far too many countries and that there is an urgent need to address this.

In response, the resolution invites countries to adopt or adapt and implement the recommendations outlined in the World report on vision and World report on hearing. It says: "Doing so can help incorporate comprehensive eye, vision, ear and hearing care across the life course as a core element within national health plans and primary health-care initiatives towards universal health coverage."

FODO and the NCHA, as the associations for primary eye care and primary care audiology providers in the UK, strongly support the call to action.  

Hakim Group partners with ICG to help drive growth

Hakim Group, founded by Bolton-born entrepreneur and optometrist, Dr Imran Hakim, celebrates equity deal designed to accelerate plan for further expansion. The group has acquired 500 independent optometry practices across the UK and Ireland in the past 20 years and plans to expand further. Read more. 

Optometrists urged to use 'superpowers' to drive change at NOC

Primary eye care is used to adapting to uncertainty and therefore well placed to use its agility and innovation to lead from the grassroots, leaders tell National Optical Conference (NOC). LOCSU also published its strategy at this year's NOC. Read more. 

Lack of funding puts eye care services at risk

The College of Optometrists has joined the OFNC to call for the universal commissioning in England of vital community minor and urgent eye care services. The College has also warned that potential funding cuts in the Westminster government's upcoming Spending Review could put the NHS eye care services at risk. Read more. 

At a glance

• Millions of people across the world still lack access to basic eye care, such as glasses, according to a new study led by Professor Rupert Bourne of Anglia Ruskin University. Read more.
• Outlookers, a charity supporting people with sight loss, recently celebrated their King's Award for Voluntary Service at the Buckingham Palace Garden Party.
• A team at the University of Bristol has published new clinical guidance to help thousands of adults better manage uveitis flare ups. Read more.

Health policy

• Audit Scotland has again raised concerns about the sustainability of NHS funding. STV News reported that the watchdog found "weaknesses in how the Scottish Government scrutinises the NHS" and that the NHS "must be reformed to remain affordable and sustainable, with better governance key to achieving this."
• Colin Smyth MSP reports worsening outpatient waits in NHS Dumfries and Galloway, stating "ophthalmology waits have rocketed from 500 to 1,408 when comparing 2024 and 2025", due to staffing issues in the hospital eye service.
• Responding to a Parliamentary Question on the role of independent providers in delivering NHS-funded eye care, Stephen Kinnock set out various systems and controls the NHS has in place to ensure services work in the best interest of patients and taxpayers. 
• Claire Fuller, national GP director at NHS England, has told a conference that "one size fits all" primary care is outdated and will be replaced with services targeted at the needs of patients rather than "what is convenient to organisations or individual sectors." Read more.