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
0 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
0Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
0Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
818 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015WalesFully Qualified Practitioners
385 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015WalesFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
433 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015WalesFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
811 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015WalesOptometrists
380 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015WalesOptometrists - Male
431 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015WalesOptometrists - Female
7 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
5 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
2 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
185 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
106 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
79 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
183 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOptometrists
104Number of Examinations31/12/2015Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
79Number of Examinations31/12/2015Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
2 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
2Number of Examinations31/12/2015Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
0Number of Examinations31/12/2015Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
34 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
19 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
15 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
34 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOptometrists
19Number of Examinations31/12/2015Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
15Number of Examinations31/12/2015Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
0 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
0Number of Examinations31/12/2015Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
0Number of Examinations31/12/2015Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
83 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Hywel Dda Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
40 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Hywel Dda Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
43 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Hywel Dda Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
81 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOptometrists
38Number of Examinations31/12/2015Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
43Number of Examinations31/12/2015Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
2 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
2Number of Examinations31/12/2015Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
0Number of Examinations31/12/2015Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
123 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
46 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
77 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
121 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOptometrists
46Number of Examinations31/12/2015Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
75Number of Examinations31/12/2015Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
2 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
0Number of Examinations31/12/2015Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
2Number of Examinations31/12/2015Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
78 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cwm Taf Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
40 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cwm Taf Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
38 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cwm Taf Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
77 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOptometrists
39Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
38Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
1 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
1Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
0Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
157 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
73 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
84 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
157 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists
73Number of Examinations31/12/2015Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
84Number of Examinations31/12/2015Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
0 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
0Number of Examinations31/12/2015Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
0Number of Examinations31/12/2015Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
178 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
74 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
104 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
178 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists
74Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
104Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
0 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
0Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
0Number of Examinations31/12/2015Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
819 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016WalesFully Qualified Practitioners
378 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016WalesFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
441 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016WalesFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
813 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016WalesOptometrists
373 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016WalesOptometrists - Male
440 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016WalesOptometrists - Female
6 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
5 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
1 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
182 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
102 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
80 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
180 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOptometrists
100Number of Examinations31/12/2016Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
80Number of Examinations31/12/2016Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
2 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
2Number of Examinations31/12/2016Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Male
0Number of Examinations31/12/2016Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
34 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners
20 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Male
14 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016Powys Teaching Local Health BoardFully Qualified Practitioners - Female
34 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOptometrists
20Number of Examinations31/12/2016Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOptometrists - Male
14Number of Examinations31/12/2016Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOptometrists - Female
0 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2016Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners
Showing 501 to 600 of 1,282 rows
Page 6 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.

Published by

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

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