Two-Year Milestone: Over 200 practitioners complete HEIW Welsh General Ophthalmic Services (WGOS) Accreditation, strengthening Wales' Eye Care Workforce

Two years on from the introduction of contract reform in October 2023, Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) has reached a significant milestone: 210 optometrists and 14 contact lens opticians have now successfully completed the Wales General Ophthalmic Services (WGOS) Practitioner Accreditation.

This continued progress marks a major step forward for primary eye care in Wales. Accreditation provides a structured, supportive induction to Wales optometry for practitioners who are either beginning their careers in Wales or relocating from elsewhere in the UK. The programme includes online learning, a practical clinical workshop and a peer-review session, ensuring new clinicians are confident, informed and workforce-ready from day one.

“Our priority is making sure practitioners feel prepared to deliver high-quality care within their communities,” Nik Sheen, Associate Director of Optometry said. “A streamlined, responsive accreditation process means patients benefit from timely, local care delivered by confident, well-supported clinicians.”

A recent survey demonstrates the strong impact of the scheme. 93% of accredited respondents have gone on to deliver WGOS 1 and 2 services, directly contributing to greater access to community eye care across Wales. Participants also rated the programme highly, awarding an average 4.71 out of 5 stars for effectiveness and support.

Accreditation events are now held every 5–7 weeks, helping maintain a steady pipeline of trained practitioners to meet Wales’ growing primary care needs. HEIW has highlighted that ensuring clinicians feel prepared is essential to delivering the ambitions of A Healthier Wales and the Future Approach for Optometry Services, which aim to shift care closer to home and reduce pressure on hospital eye clinics.

Practitioner feedback reflects the value of the training:

• “I found the practical foreign body removal fantastic.”
• “The peer review session was very useful.”

HEIW Lead Tutors echoed this sentiment:
“It’s incredibly rewarding to support practitioners as they begin their careers in Wales. Many join with questions or concerns, and it’s great to hear how much their confidence grows. Seeing so many now actively practising in Wales is a real measure of the programme’s success.”

For further information on WGOS Practitioner Accreditation, practitioners can contact HEIW.Optometry@wales.nhs.uk.