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
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
159 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
70 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
89 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
159 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
0 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
188 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
71 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
117 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
188 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
0 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
875 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018WalesFully Qualified Practitioners
401 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018WalesFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
474 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018WalesFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
871 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018WalesOptometrists
[t] [x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018WalesOptometrists - Male
[t] [x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018WalesOptometrists - Female
4 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
[t] [x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
[t] [x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
214 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
123 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
91 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
212 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOptometrists
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
2 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
32 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
16 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
16 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
32 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOptometrists
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
0 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
93 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Hywel Dda Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
42 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Hywel Dda Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
51 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Hywel Dda Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
92 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOptometrists
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
1 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
128 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
51 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
77 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
128 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOptometrists
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
0 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
76 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cwm Taf Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
40 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cwm Taf Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
36 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cwm Taf Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
75 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOptometrists
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
1 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
165 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
74 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
91 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
165 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
0 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
187 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
68 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
119 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
187 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
0 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
875 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2019WalesFully Qualified Practitioners
393 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2019WalesFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
482 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2019WalesFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
872 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2019WalesOptometrists
[t] [x]Number of Examinations31/12/2019WalesOptometrists - Male
[t] [x]Number of Examinations31/12/2019WalesOptometrists - Female
3 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2019WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
[t] [x]Number of Examinations31/12/2019WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
[t] [x]Number of Examinations31/12/2019WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
Showing 701 to 800 of 1,282 rows
Page 8 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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