Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2024
639. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Health the number of optometrists providing care to medical card holders and under the Department of Social Protection adult eyecare schemes in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form. [21790/24]
View answerSight testing, eye examinations and optical appliances are provided to medical card holders by ophthalmologists, optometrists and dispensing opticians through the Community Ophthalmic Services Schemes (COSS), administered by the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The number of optometrists providing care to medical card holders under the COSS in the years 2018 through 2023 was as follows:
|
End Year |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
No. of Optometrists |
608 (596 in Jan 2018) |
590 |
598 |
604 |
609 |
604 |
The Department of Social Protection would have information regarding the number of optometrists contracted to provide services under the Optical Benefit Scheme, access to which is based on PRSI contributions.
