News and events
Explore our collection of articles, stay ahead with upcoming events,
and read minutes from our previous meetings.
Following the government’s announcement yesterday that a new NHS online hospital service will be launched in England, with eye conditions among the first areas to be prioritised, the Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Eye Health and Visual Impairment has welcomed the focus on improving access to eye care.
The new service, which will operate through the NHS App, aims to use digital platforms to support assessment, follow-up and specialist input, with the potential to reduce waiting times and better connect primary, community and secondary care services.
Responding to the announcement, Marsha DeCordova MP, Chair of the APPG on Eye Health and Visual Impairment, said:
“Too many people with eye conditions are currently stuck in a system that is fragmented, slow and too often leaves them waiting in fear while their sight deteriorates.
The decision to prioritise eye health within the NHS’s new online hospital reflects the scale of the challenge and the opportunity to do things differently. When used properly, digital platforms can help join up primary, community and secondary care, ensuring referrals are acted on more quickly and patients receive the right care at the right time.
Earlier diagnosis and consistent follow-up are essential for conditions like glaucoma and AMD, where delays can result in irreversible sight loss. This kind of reform has the potential to reduce backlogs, make better use of the NHS workforce, and shift the system towards prevention rather than crisis care.
But innovation must go hand in hand with investment, workforce planning and a commitment to equity. This service must be accessible, properly resourced, fully integrated across the NHS, and designed so that no one is excluded because of digital barriers.
As Chair of the APPG on Eye Health and Visual Impairment, I welcome the government’s focus on tackling NHS backlogs and modernising care, and this is a positive step towards delivering a more joined-up, patient-centred eye health system. As chair, I will be pressing to ensure this ambition delivers real improvements for patients.”
Meetings & events
Wed, 26th Nov, 2025 
2:00 pm Minutes of recent meetings
APPGEHVI AGM – 2.2.12
On Tuesday 2nd December, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Eye Health and Vision Impairment (APPGEHVI) met for their Annual General Meeting (AGM).
All-Party Parliamentary Group on Eye Health and Visual Impairment meeting with the Disability APPG and Sir Charlie Mayfield
APPG Meeting on Employment – Discussing the recommendations from the Changing Attitudes, Changing Lives Report.
Inaugural Meeting
The Eye Health and Visual Impairment APPG held its Inaugural Meeting in the new Parliament on Wednesday 11th September
T* APPG Meeting (Eye Health) and AGM 2-4pm, Parliament
The Eye Health and Visual Impairment held its AGM on Tuesday 19th March.
26th April 2023
The APPG session discussed the eye care workforce and explored current challenges, opportunities and recommendations for the eye care workforce needed now, and in the future.
22nd February 2023
The APPG session looked into employment and the Access to Work scheme. Panelists and attendees discussed the advantages of the Access to Work scheme when it was deployed efficiently and highlighted the impact of delayed assessments and implementation had on people with sight loss.
