Outcomes of Glaucoma Enhanced Referral Services (GERS) based in Primary Care Optometry in England from 2021 to 2025
Citation
Mackley, T., Bhan, A., & Hughes, A (2025, 5th – 6th November). Outcomes of Glaucoma Enhanced Referral Services (GERS) based in Primary Care Optometry in England from 2021 to 2025 [Poster presentation]. UK and Éire Glaucoma Society (UKEGS) Annual Conference, Edinburgh, Scotland.
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Glaucoma Enhanced Referral Services (GERS) are a form of glaucoma referral filtering used in primary care optometry following sight tests, aiming to reduce unnecessary referrals to Hospital Eye Services (HES). Recommended by NICE and GIRFT guidelines, GERS enables accredited optometrists to conduct comprehensive clinical assessments for patients with signs suggestive of glaucoma or ocular hypertension. Previous evaluations have demonstrated the effectiveness of GERS in reducing false positive referrals and improving NHS efficiency. This study presents the first large-scale, multi-locality evaluation of GERS outcomes across 13 Integrated Care Boards in England from 2021 to 2025, providing updated evidence on the impact and value of these services for patients and the wider health system.
