Bringing together eye care community: A dynamic membership group to collaborate, connect, horizon scan, learn and share, to advance best patient care
The UKOA is a unique expanding membership group uniting NHS ophthalmology organisations in all four nations. UKOA also has stakeholders including Royal Colleges of Ophthalmologists and Nursing, the College of Optometrists, the British Orthoptic Society, Getting it Right First Time, NHS England as well as Third sector and Charitable ophthalmology organisations. We have a board that provides organisational oversight. Our aim is to connect the whole profession with the objectives of sharing best practice, promote standardisation with efficient and effective clinical pathways which embrace innovation and modernisation and have best patient care and experience at the heart of it.
We are hosted by RNIB which provides administrative support, financial oversight and governance for UKOA.
We hold regular meetings and workshops for our members, in person and virtual, presentations and recordings available on our currently open access website, which also holds a wealth of resource. We are happy to advertise news including member events and keep whole profession updated on national ophthalmology developments and strategy.
The UKOA was established in 2017, inspired by the National Orthopaedic Alliance (NOA).
Our work
We predominantly use our resources to arrange regular meetings for our members. These are focused on sharing good practice across the UK and also updating our members on important developments across ophthalmology. We also provide a platform for our members to contribute to developments by sharing information on our website and through email and providing opportunities to provide feedback at our meetings.
Over the years we have also progressed various projects to develop solutions for a number of key areas across ophthalmology.
UKOA aims
The UKOA Aims to provide a whole system alliance which:
- Provides a forum for regular liaison and discussion on efficiency, quality and other mutual areas of interest between key stakeholders for ophthalmic services.
- Joins the expertise of clinical professionals, managers and trust leaders in commissioning, operational management, financial flows and joint working in ophthalmology across primary and secondary care.
- Establishes quality standards and best practice or efficiency pathways agreed between all the key professional bodies and providers and patient bodies covering care provided by any ophthalmic professional in any setting.
- Provides support to improve quality and efficiency between providers with good and less good performance in specific areas.
- Creates a group with a powerful voice who can negotiate locally and nationally for the benefit of ophthalmology commissioning and resourcing, and champion the specialty.
- Provides a website for sharing UKOA news and useful information from our stakeholders and members
Support
UKOA is grateful for the support from following organisations…
Roche Product Ltd is a member of UKOA, has provided financial support to the UKOA but has no involvement in the content of the activity
Bayer Public Company Ltd has provided an arm’s length financial support to the UKOA with no involvement in the content of the activity
Alimera sciences has provided grant for face to face meetings for UKOA with no involvement in the content of the meeting
Joining the UKOA
Any NHS organisation in the UK is welcome to be a member of the UKOA.
Please email us on UKOA@rnib.org.uk if you are interested in joining the UKOA.
We also have a number of affiliate members…
- College of Optometrists >
- The British and Irish Orthoptic Society >
- GIRFT Ophthalmology >
- NHS Supply Chain: Ophthalmology >
- The Macular Society >
- RCN Ophthalmic Nursing Forum >
- Glaucoma UK >
- RNIB >
- Royal College of Ophthalmologists >
- NHS England Eyeswise /National Outpatient Transformation >
- Retina UK >
- SeeAbility >
Contact the UK Opthalmology Alliance
Please get in touch via email: UKOA@rnib.org.uk or complete the form below…
