Maria Eagle MP visits Liverpool opticians calling for stronger healthcare services in city

As part of the visit, Ms Eagle was shown around the store and heard about the community work they do

placeholder image — As part of the visit, Ms Eagle was shown around the store and heard about the community work they do

A Liverpool MP has gone to Specsavers to see how her local opticians and audiologists are making a difference to patients, the community and supporting the NHS.

Maria Eagle, MP for Liverpool Garston, chatted to the Specsavers team in the Belle Vale Shopping Centre store on Monday 28 July about how they are delivering NHS services and providing vital access to eye and ear care – and how there’s a big call for more services.

Adam Ormrod,Optometry Partner at Specsavers Belle Vale, says: ‘It was a pleasure to welcome Maria to Belle Vale and talk to her about the care we provide to her constituents.

The MP for Liverpool Garston spoke with the store about the city's need for a Minor Eye Care Service in Liverpool

’We discussed the need for a Minor Eye Care Service (MECS) in Liverpool, enabling people to get treatment for minor eye injuries and illnesses directly from local high street optometrists. This would be easier and more convenient for patients and reduce pressure on GPs and A&E services. The service is available across the rest of Cheshire and Merseyside but residents in Liverpool are missing out.’

Ms Eagle says: ‘I was pleased to visit Specsavers, hearing about what the team already does in terms of serving our community. Seeing the technology and clinical expertise in store, and the ability to identify a whole range of health conditions, was a good reminder of how important it is that everyone gets their eyes tested regularly.

‘It was also interesting to learn more about how we could improve access to care in Liverpool by commissioning important hearing and eye health services.’

As a locally owned and run business, Ms Eagle also heard about how Specsavers Belle Vale supports community organisations and provides a range of career opportunities for local people.

MP Maria Eagle visited a Specsavers store calling for more community eyecare support from the NHS

Mathew Robinson, who is director of the store, says that the MP had a tour and spoke to the team about what each did.

He adds:‘We are locally owned and run, and proud to be at the heart of our community, providing exceptional eye health and hearing care as well as supporting local organisations. We also spoke about Specsavers’ mission to change lives through better sight and hearing, and our ambition to further improve access to care for all.’

Minor Eye Care Services provide assessment and treatment for people with minor eye problems such as ingrown lashes, eye irritation, and eye flashes or floaters. Similar services operate across the UK – including other areas of Merseyside – and is an NHS service provided by high street opticians.

Specsavers has more than 1,000 stores throughout the UK and is the leading provider of NHS primary care optometry services – testing more than 20 million eyes every year. It also provides more than 40% of NHS community audiology services in England, supporting more than 200,000 NHS audiology patients a year. Ear wax removal is another popular service offered by Specsavers.