Professional standards and guidelines

AHPO seeks to promote the development common standards of practice in areas of interprofessional working. Professional organisations, NHS and private healthcare employers, government and the public all have a stake in the setting and maintaining standards for practice in healthcare. This page has information from a number of sources about standards and guidelines for practice in the ophthalmic sector.

Ophthalmic and Vision Science National Occupational Standards

Fourteen Ophthalmic and Vision Science (OVS) standards have been developed with the Healthcare Science Project. The OVS standards can also be downloaded here.

Functional Map of the Ophthalmic Sector

This has been developed by AHPO and provides an overview of the range of competence required of all staff in the ophthalmic sector. The ophthalmic functional map can be downloaded here

AHPO guidelines

• Prescription, Supply and Administration of Drugs by Ophthalmic Professionals
  

Links to sources for standards, guidelines and evidence-based practice

Royal College of Nursing - Competency Framework for Ophthalmic Nursing. The competency framework for Ophthalmic Nursing has been developed by the Ophthalmic Nursing Forum of the Royal College of Nursing pdf

Royal College of Ophthalmologists
www.rcophth.ac.uk

International Council of Ophthalmology
www.icoph.org/guide/index.html

National Institute of Clinical Excellence
www.nice.org.uk

Cochrane Eyes and Vision Group
www.cochraneeyes.org

International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (ISCEV)
www.iscev.org/standards/proceduresguide.html

College of Optometrists
www.college-optometrists.org

Association of British Dispensing Opticians
www.abdo.org.uk

European Glaucoma Society
www.eugs.org