Orthoptics Australia President Dr Amanda French discusses a current focus on the orthoptics scope-of-practice, and the benefits to eyecare delivery if expanded.
Orthoptics Australia is celebrating 80 years since its establishment in 1944 as the peak body for orthoptists in the country. This reflects the long history of the healthcare professionals working together nationally to advance the profession and improve quality of eyecare. It also marks the 80th Orthoptics Australia Conference, a testament to the peak body’s commitment to building the evidence-base for the discipline and disseminating research to improve eyecare services. We are looking forward to celebrating our significant progress in the past 80 years, both as a national peak body and as a profession that is well established, highly skilled, and essential to eye healthcare delivery.
“Given the potential gain from orthoptists working in extended and advanced scope-of-practice, we need to address why current scope-of-practice is not being met.”
In 2024, Orthoptics Australia is putting a focus on orthoptists working to the top of their scope-of-practice – ‘making a difference’ to eyecare service delivery and, most importantly, to the lives of their patients. We are continuing to implement our 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, with several key initiatives focused on promoting the value of orthoptics, increasing awareness, and growing the profession. Our strategic vision places an emphasis on not just supporting orthoptists to provide excellence, but also equity in eye healthcare. It is this part of our new strategic vision for the future of Orthoptics Australia that intersects with orthoptists working to the top of their scope-of-practice to improve access and equity of eyecare services.
This message is timely, given the government’s ‘Unleashing the Potential of our Health Workforce’ Scope of Practice Review is well under way. Orthoptics Australia’s submission in the project’s first round of consultation highlighted the significant advantages to be gained by orthoptists working to the top of their scope within primary care settings. This included expanding access to management in primary care and community health settings, particularly for paediatric patients with strabismus and amblyopia and those with post-stroke visual impairment, strengthening referrals into tertiary eyecare, and reducing burden on public eyecare services. However, several barriers were identified, including a lack of awareness of orthoptic scope-of-practice and competencies, as well as legislative and regulatory barriers.
We have several examples of innovative practice where orthoptists are working to the top of their scope and in advanced and extended practice through orthoptic-led services and clinics both in Australia and abroad. The positive impact of these models of service delivery in increasing efficiency and improving patient outcomes and satisfaction are clear. These initiatives demonstrate that enabling orthoptists to work to the top of their scope can be valuable and impactful to the health system, employers, and patients. Unfortunately, this is not the norm and more must be done to support orthoptists to take on these roles that will benefit patient care and the broader healthcare system.
As part of this work, Orthoptics Australia vice president Ms Catherine Mancuso and I facilitated a workshop on orthoptic scope-of-practice as part of the 2023 Orthoptics Australia Conference held in Perth. Orthoptists in attendance provided feedback on aspects of this, with over 50% indicating that they did not feel they were working to the top of their scope within their current workplace. This so clearly demonstrates that orthoptists are not being enabled to work to their scope-of-practice and are severely underutilised. Given the potential gain from orthoptists working in extended and advanced scope-of-practice, we need to also address why this is currently not being met.
Orthoptics Australia welcomes the Scope of Practice Review, with this work having the potential to make significant advances in Australia’s approach to health service delivery. As an organisation, we will continue to actively consult throughout the project, as well as work to clearly define extended and advanced scope-of-practice for orthoptists and advocate for structures limiting this to be addressed. We hope these initiatives will result in positive changes for orthoptists and for the benefit of our patients and the healthcare system.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Associate Professor Amanda French is the President of Orthoptics Australia. She graduated as an orthoptist from the University of Sydney in 2007 and completed her PhD in 2013.
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