Local Optical Committee Briefing Events
23 July 2025
Primary Eyecare Services recently hosted two highly successful Local Optical Committee (LOC) Briefing Events in London and Manchester, bringing together key voices from members and directors from across the country.
The events aimed to promote collaboration and build strong connections with LOC members, to invite the opportunity to discuss views on current challenges, whilst gathering feedback on potential risks and upcoming opportunities.
Key discussions took place including the newly published NHS 10-Year Plan, NHS reforms, digital updates and the current commissioning landscape. These conversations focused on Primary Eyecare Services strategic direction, and how we plan to support the plan. Currently, we collaborate with a network of over 3,000 established optometry practices, supporting the delivery of over 240 primary and community eye care service pathways. In 2024 alone, approximately 800,000 patients received care and our potential for 2025 to be reaching double this figure.
Throughout the events, members shared both achievements and challenges from the last year. LOC members were highly engaged in discussions, asking insightful questions and providing valuable feedback, which is crucial to Primary Eyecare Services continued success.
Many members reflected the value of these briefings, with an LOC member stating the day being “very informative and well structured, giving a clear vision of the challenges and opportunities ahead of optometry and enhanced services against the NHS 10-Year Plan backdrop” and another saying, “great meeting the team, it was very informative and an incredible service”. The feedback gathered also revealed that 100% of attendees felt the event met or exceeded their expectations, whilst expressing further interest in attending future events.
Overall, the two LOC Briefing Events identified the vital role of team collaboration in shaping the future of eye care and our services, through a deep understanding of the needs and requirements of LOCs and practices across England.