Number of ophthalmic practitioners by health board

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Variable	Visibility	Selected values	Action
Data description	Shown in table	Headcount	Value cannot be changed
Date	Shown in table	All 30 values	Change values
Area	Shown in table	All 10 values	Change values
Measure	Shown in table	All 15 values	Change values

Table

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

Data values	Data description	Date	Area	Measure
1,005 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Wales	Fully Qualified Practitioners
422 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Wales	Fully Qualified Practitioners - Male
582 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Wales	Fully Qualified Practitioners - Female
1 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Wales	Fully Qualified Practitioners - Unknown Gender
1,005 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Wales	Optometrists
422 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Wales	Optometrists - Male
582 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Wales	Optometrists - Female
1 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Wales	Optometrists - Unknown Gender
75 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Wales	Student Optometrists
19 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Wales	Student Optometrists - Male
55 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Wales	Student Optometrists - Female
1 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Wales	Student Optometrists - Unknown Gender
255 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board	Fully Qualified Practitioners
129 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board	Fully Qualified Practitioners - Male
126 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board	Fully Qualified Practitioners - Female
255 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board	Optometrists
129	Headcount	31/03/2025	Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board	Optometrists - Male
126	Headcount	31/03/2025	Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board	Optometrists - Female
10 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board	Student Optometrists
10	Headcount	31/03/2025	Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health Board	Student Optometrists - Female
33 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Powys Teaching Local Health Board	Fully Qualified Practitioners
13 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Powys Teaching Local Health Board	Fully Qualified Practitioners - Male
20 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Powys Teaching Local Health Board	Fully Qualified Practitioners - Female
33 [t]	Headcount	31/03/2025	Powys Teaching Local Health Board	Optometrists
13	Headcount	31/03/2025	Powys Teaching Local Health Board	Optometrists - Male

Showing 1 to 25 of 1,282 rows

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Metadata

The metadata for this dataset is not included when you download the data. You can download this separately. This contains all the information from the 'About this dataset' tab.

Next update expected:September 2026

Updates

• 26th March 2026:

  Data description amended

• 30th September 2025: Dataset first published.

Main information

• Designation: Official statistics
• Data provider 1: NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
• Data source 1: Ophthalmic Supplementary List
• Data provider 2: NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
• Data source 2: Ophthalmic List
• Data provider 3: NHS England
• Data source 3: No specific source from data provider
• Time period covered: December 1996 to March 2025

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:
  • Eye Care Statistics
  • Quality report

Published by

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