4. Statement by the Minister for Health and Social Services: Future approach to optometry services

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 3:59 pm on 21 September 2021.

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Photo of Janet Finch-Saunders Janet Finch-Saunders Conservative 3:59, 21 September 2021

Thank you, acting Deputy Presiding Officer. Minister, I'm becoming increasingly concerned of late to see a number of constituents presenting to me, in my office, whereby they suffer with wet macular degeneration and usually have drops every month. Obviously, during the COVID pandemic, some of these were then decreased to every six weeks. However, I now have constituents coming to see me whereby they're not able to obtain these injections—it's taken three months to obtain them. And, in fact, the specialists, or consultants, are saying, 'Go and see your Member of the Senedd, because you should be having these drops every month; three months is simply not enough, and there is a risk to your eyesight.' Minister, with that in mind—I can write to you outside of the Plenary today, but with that in mind—would you send out guidance to our health boards that this is vitally important, and that if these injections are due every month, then those patients should receive them every month? Diolch.