Number of ophthalmic practitioners by health board

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

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Data valuesData descriptionDateAreaMeasure
1 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025WalesStudent Optometrists - Unknown Gender
53 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
16 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardStudent Optometrists
255 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOptometrists
8Number of Examinations31/03/2025Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
81 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
6Number of Examinations31/03/2025Hywel Dda Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
81Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardOptometrists - Female
77 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
75 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025WalesStudent Optometrists
582 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025WalesFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
422 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025WalesFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
197 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists
582 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025WalesOptometrists - Female
109 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Hywel Dda Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
2Number of Examinations31/03/2025Hywel Dda Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
7 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Swansea Bay University Health BoardStudent Optometrists
53Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardOptometrists - Male
110 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
204 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
77Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
9Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
1 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025WalesFully Qualified Practitioners - Unknown Gender
1,005 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025WalesOptometrists
1 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Unknown Gender
422 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025WalesOptometrists - Male
20 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
87Number of Examinations31/03/2025Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
197 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
6Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
20Number of Examinations31/03/2025Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
1Number of Examinations31/03/2025Powys Teaching Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
109 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOptometrists
8 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Hywel Dda Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists
64 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Swansea Bay University Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
64Number of Examinations31/03/2025Swansea Bay University Health BoardOptometrists - Female
134 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
134 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardOptometrists
9Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
87 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
110Number of Examinations31/03/2025Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
14Number of Examinations31/03/2025Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
126 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
204 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists
126Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
9 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists
33 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOptometrists
1Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Unknown Gender
55 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025WalesStudent Optometrists - Female
19 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025WalesStudent Optometrists - Male
255 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
126 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
129 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
1,005 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025WalesFully Qualified Practitioners
129Number of Examinations31/03/2025Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
10 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists
126Number of Examinations31/03/2025Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
22 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists
10Number of Examinations31/03/2025Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
13 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
33 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
1Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Unknown Gender
1 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025WalesOptometrists - Unknown Gender
13Number of Examinations31/03/2025Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
3 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Powys Teaching Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists
2Number of Examinations31/03/2025Powys Teaching Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
48 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Hywel Dda Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
61 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Hywel Dda Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
48Number of Examinations31/03/2025Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
61Number of Examinations31/03/2025Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
100 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Swansea Bay University Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
36 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Swansea Bay University Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
100 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Swansea Bay University Health BoardOptometrists
36Number of Examinations31/03/2025Swansea Bay University Health BoardOptometrists - Male
1Number of Examinations31/03/2025Swansea Bay University Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
6Number of Examinations31/03/2025Swansea Bay University Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
61Number of Examinations31/03/2024Swansea Bay University Health BoardOptometrists - Female
4 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Swansea Bay University Health BoardStudent Optometrists
1Number of Examinations31/03/2024Swansea Bay University Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
37Number of Examinations31/03/2024Swansea Bay University Health BoardOptometrists - Male
37 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Swansea Bay University Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
61 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Swansea Bay University Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
3Number of Examinations31/03/2024Swansea Bay University Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
98 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Swansea Bay University Health BoardOptometrists
8 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Hywel Dda Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists
2Number of Examinations31/03/2024Hywel Dda Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
6Number of Examinations31/03/2024Hywel Dda Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
56Number of Examinations31/03/2024Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
100 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOptometrists
44 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Hywel Dda Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
44Number of Examinations31/03/2024Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
56 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Hywel Dda Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
98 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Swansea Bay University Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
116 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
12 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
19 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
2Number of Examinations31/03/2024Powys Teaching Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
100 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Hywel Dda Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
31 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOptometrists
31 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
Showing 1 to 100 of 1,282 rows
Page 1 of 13

Main information

Most recent update
30 September 2025
Next update expected
September 2026
Designation
Official statistics
Data provider 1
NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
Data source 1
Ophthalmic List
Data provider 2
NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
Data source 2
Ophthalmic Supplementary List
Data provider 3
NHS England
Data source 3
No specific source from data provider
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.

Related reports

Published by

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

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