Number of ophthalmic practitioners by health board

Standard shorthand is used in this table: [t] = total, [x] = not available.

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Data valuesData descriptionDateAreaMeasure
69Number of Examinations31/12/2013Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
3 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2013Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
1Number of Examinations31/12/2013Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
2Number of Examinations31/12/2013Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
66 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cwm Taf Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
33 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cwm Taf Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
33 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cwm Taf Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
65 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOptometrists
32Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
33Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
1 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
1Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
0Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
149 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2013Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
76 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2013Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
73 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2013Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
149 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2013Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists
76Number of Examinations31/12/2013Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
73Number of Examinations31/12/2013Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
0 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2013Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
0Number of Examinations31/12/2013Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
0Number of Examinations31/12/2013Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
170 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
76 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
94 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
170 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists
76Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
94Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
0 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
0Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
0Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
776 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014WalesFully Qualified Practitioners
369 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014WalesFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
407 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014WalesFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
769 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014WalesOptometrists
364 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014WalesOptometrists - Male
405 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014WalesOptometrists - Female
7 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
5 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
2 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
173 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
100 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
73 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
172 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOptometrists
99Number of Examinations31/12/2014Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
73Number of Examinations31/12/2014Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
1 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
1Number of Examinations31/12/2014Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
0Number of Examinations31/12/2014Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
30 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
18 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
12 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
30 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOptometrists
18Number of Examinations31/12/2014Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
12Number of Examinations31/12/2014Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
0 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
0Number of Examinations31/12/2014Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
0Number of Examinations31/12/2014Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
75 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Hywel Dda Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
35 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Hywel Dda Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
40 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Hywel Dda Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
73 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOptometrists
33Number of Examinations31/12/2014Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
40Number of Examinations31/12/2014Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
2 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
2Number of Examinations31/12/2014Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
0Number of Examinations31/12/2014Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
116 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
42 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
74 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
113 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOptometrists
41Number of Examinations31/12/2014Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
72Number of Examinations31/12/2014Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
3 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
1Number of Examinations31/12/2014Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
2Number of Examinations31/12/2014Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
71 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cwm Taf Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
37 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cwm Taf Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
34 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cwm Taf Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
70 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOptometrists
36Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
34Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
1 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
1Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
0Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
157 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
74 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
83 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
157 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists
74Number of Examinations31/12/2014Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
83Number of Examinations31/12/2014Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
0 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
0Number of Examinations31/12/2014Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
0Number of Examinations31/12/2014Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
174 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
76 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
98 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
174 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists
76Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
98Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
Showing 401 to 500 of 1,282 rows
Page 5 of 13

Main information

Most recent update
30 September 2025
Next update expected
September 2026
Designation
Official statistics
Data provider 1
NHS England
Data source 1
No specific source from data provider
Data provider 2
NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
Data source 2
Ophthalmic Supplementary List
Data provider 3
NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
Data source 3
Ophthalmic List
Time period covered
December 1996 to March 2025

Data notes

Overview

Summary of dataset and variables

This dataset shows the number (headcount) of optometrists working in primary care in Wales. It includes optometrists, student optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners, broken down by local health board, sex, and year. For years up to 2019, the data reflects headcounts as at 31 December, and from 2020 onwards, as at 31 March.

Data collection or calculation

Figures for the optometry workforce are reported as of 31 December each year for 2019 and earlier, and as of 31 March for 2020 and subsequent years, due to different data sources being used. For years up to 2019, figures are sourced from NHS Digital’s publication, which reflects practitioners authorised by local health boards to perform NHS-funded sight tests, based on data from the Central Ophthalmic Payments system. This data collection ceased after 2019. For 2020 and beyond, data is sourced from the performers’ list (Ophthalmic List and Ophthalmic Supplementary List), a register of ophthalmic practitioners who can practise in Wales, maintained by NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership. Data from the two sources are collected differently and are not exactly comparable. As the same person could be listed across more than one health board, the headcount is based on a unique count of registration numbers in each health board. Therefore, health board numbers may not necessarily add up to the figure for Wales. Note for 2023 onwards, totals include unknown gender.

Statistical quality

Data from 2020 onwards are not directly comparable with earlier years due to changes in data source and reference period. From 2023 onwards, totals also include cases with unknown gender. Primary care workforce figures are based on the ophthalmic performers list, which can temporarily include optometrists who have stopped working. This may lead to a slight overestimate of the active workforce. Following the introduction of WGOS, improved validation has led to more timely and systematic removal of inactive performers, which is likely to explain the decrease in 2024. There is also a requirement for student optometrists to be listed in the Supplementary Ophthalmic List (SOL), and therefore, data for student optometrists are available from 2024 onwards. On 1 April 2019, health service responsibility for Bridgend residents moved from Abertawe Bro Morgannwg to Cwm Taf. Health board names also changed: Cwm Taf became Cwm Taf Morgannwg, and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg became Swansea Bay. See the weblinks section for official statements.

Published by

Organisation
Welsh Government
Contact email
stats.healthinfo@gov.wales

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