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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Date ( of 30 selected30 selectable options)

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Area ( of 10 selected10 selectable options)

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Select all Wales|Select None of Wales

Measure ( of 15 selected15 selectable options)

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Select all Optometrists|Select None of Optometrists
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Select all Student Optometrists|Select None of Student Optometrists

Data valuesData descriptionDateAreaMeasure
1 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025WalesStudent Optometrists - Unknown Gender
1Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Unknown Gender
3Number of Examinations31/03/2024Swansea Bay University Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
14Number of Examinations31/03/2025Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
9Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
4Number of Examinations31/03/2024Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
32 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024WalesStudent Optometrists - Female
6Number of Examinations31/03/2024Hywel Dda Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
9Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
10Number of Examinations31/03/2025Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
55 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025WalesStudent Optometrists - Female
6Number of Examinations31/03/2025Swansea Bay University Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
1Number of Examinations31/03/2025Powys Teaching Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
11Number of Examinations31/03/2024Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
7Number of Examinations31/03/2024Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
6Number of Examinations31/03/2025Hywel Dda Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
1Number of Examinations31/03/2024Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Female
6Number of Examinations31/03/2024Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
3Number of Examinations31/03/2024Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
21 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024WalesStudent Optometrists - Male
1Number of Examinations31/03/2025Swansea Bay University Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
8Number of Examinations31/03/2025Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
2Number of Examinations31/03/2025Hywel Dda Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
5Number of Examinations31/03/2024Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
1Number of Examinations31/03/2024Swansea Bay University Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
2Number of Examinations31/03/2024Hywel Dda Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
6Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
2Number of Examinations31/03/2024Powys Teaching Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
2Number of Examinations31/03/2024Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
2Number of Examinations31/03/2025Powys Teaching Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists - Male
19 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025WalesStudent Optometrists - Male
16 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardStudent Optometrists
7 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Swansea Bay University Health BoardStudent Optometrists
8 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Hywel Dda Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists
9 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists
10 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists
75 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025WalesStudent Optometrists
9 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists
14 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists
3 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Powys Teaching Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists
4 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Swansea Bay University Health BoardStudent Optometrists
22 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2025Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists
8 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Hywel Dda Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists
3 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists
53 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024WalesStudent Optometrists
2 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Powys Teaching Local Health BoardStudent Optometrists
13 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2024Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardStudent Optometrists
0Number of Examinations31/03/2020Swansea Bay University Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/03/2020Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/03/2020Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0 [t]Number of Examinations31/03/2020WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
2Number of Examinations31/12/2014Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/12/2014Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/03/2020Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/03/2020Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/12/2014Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
1Number of Examinations31/12/2010Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/12/2014Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/12/2011Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
1Number of Examinations31/12/2012Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/03/2020Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
5 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2004WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
8 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2000WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
5 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2003WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2019Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/12/2014Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
3 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2012WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2019Swansea Bay University Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2019Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/12/2010Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
2 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2014WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2019Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[t] [x]Number of Examinations31/12/2019WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2019Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2019Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2019Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/03/2020Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[t] [x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/12/2011Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Powys Teaching Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/12/2013Betsi Cadwaladr University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
4 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2007WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
5 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2002WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/12/2013Hywel Dda Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2017Aneurin Bevan Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
1Number of Examinations31/12/2010Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
2Number of Examinations31/12/2013Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/12/2011Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
[x]Number of Examinations31/12/2018Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
4 [t]Number of Examinations31/12/2008WalesOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/12/2013Cardiff & Vale University Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
0Number of Examinations31/12/2011Cwm Taf Local Health BoardOphthalmic Medical Practitioners - Female
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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