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The management of patients within shared care programmes would seem to have significant benefits in terms of individuals' convenience, addressing resource needs and expanding professional horizons. To date, these schemes have typically concentrated on the monitoring of patients with diabetes and glaucoma. At Moorfields Eye Hospital, we attempted to develop the role of the hospital optometrist by establishing a study to evaluate the clinical appraisal of new referrals in a busy out-patient clinic. The results showed a high level of diagnostic accuracy which suggests that the role of hospital optometrists may be successfully extended to include some aspects of patient evaluation not typically undertaken.

SUMMARYWe have analysed 64417 patient-attendances by 56 409 patients to a dedicated ophthalmic new patient service to assess the demographic and epidemiological para meters of this population. Forty-three point five per cent were male and 56.5% female. Nine per cent of patients were under 16 years of age while 27.5% were over 70 years. Comparison of patients attending an outreach new patient clinic with that at the main hospital showed that a higher proportion of patients under 16 years were seen at the outreach clinic (p

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