The Royal College of Ophthalmologists has published the results of a survey that reveals doctors views on the certificate of vision impairment (CVI) process.
The college has always promoted the value of the CVI for patients. However, last year's RNIB report entitled, The Certification and Registration Processes: Stages, barriers and delays voiced concerns over whether ophthalmologists really understood the implications of the process.
In response, the college survey appears to differ. It reveals that more than 90 per cent of respondents - just fewer than 300 doctors responded - were aware of the benefits of registration.
Survey results
There was also overwhelming support for the use of eye clinic liaison officers (ECLOs), with 96 per cent of respondents agreeing that both ECLOs and doctors were beneficial to patients, when discussing the process.
However, the survey showed that more work needed to done surrounding the urgency of completing CVIs - 52 per cent of ophthalmologists were unaware that the CVI needed to be sent to social service departments within five days. Nicholas Wilson-Holt, Royal College of Ophthalmologists' Council Member for the South West conceded doctors needed to be aware of this.
Doctors were also split on whether they should be paid a fee for completing a CVI. Just under a third of doctors (32.1 per cent) agreed that the provision of a fee had an influence on CVI discussions with patients. The remainder said it did not. Some respondents felt that a fee was not "justified," others felt it should be paid.
Importance of CVI
There was also strong support for an electronic system that could send information directly to social services and Moorfields CVI office.
Wilson-Holt said the results were clear that ophthalmologists understood the benefits of CVI and that the college was already working with its members and other bodies such as RNIB to promote best practice in this area.
The college is already raising awareness of the importance of CVIs to patients, working with UK Vision Strategy on a communications plan for the public health indicator, supporting the e-CVI pilot and working on a CVI regional teaching session road show with RNIB.
Article published in NB magazine March 2013.