Eye Health Professional
Introduction to WGOS
Following legislative changes in 2023, Wales General Ophthalmic Services (WGOS) replaced General Ophthalmic Services (Wales) (GOS[W]), Eye Health Examination Wales (EHEW), Low Vision Services Wales (LVSW), and many various local enhanced service pathways.
To deliver WGOS, each contractor and practitioner must be listed on the Wales Ophthalmic or Administrative list and must have completed WGOS compliance training.
WGOS is a tiered service of eye care, please see below for further information.
In Wales, there is an eye care service for patients who have an eye problem that they think needs urgent attention. This service is available across Wales by visiting or telephoning an optometry (opticians) practice and stating the problem you are having with your eye or eyes.
At other times a healthcare professional (typically GP or Pharmacist) may feel there is an urgent need for an eye assessment.
Normally, the following must apply to access the service:
There is acute need – typically a change in vision, the eye is uncomfortable or painful or there is a change in the appearance of the eye - which is of recent onset.
You should speak to the optometry practice in person or on the telephone. Do not use email, answerphone or other non-interactive communications for problems you think need urgent attention. The practice should make sure the following occurs:
- They will respond to your symptoms within 24 hours of you speaking with them.
- In their response, they will offer of an appointment in the practice within an appropriate timescale to address your symptoms. In exceptional circumstances they may arrange for you to be seen in another optometry practice or another NHS Wales service.
- There will be no financial charge for the patient.
If you (as a patient, or another health professional) feel there has been difficulty in accessing the service and the above expectations have not been met please provide as much information as possible in the questions following. We request this to target our support for the service, for the benefit of future patients. The information is sent to the Health Board which has oversight of the service.
Thank you.