THE ROLE OF GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS IN DIABETIC EYE CARE IN LANARKSHIRE

This study reports data from 50 practices (3550 patients) in Lanarkshi re taking part in an audit of diabetes care. Data were obtained by rev iew of general practitioner records and the correspondence from consul tants and opticians contained in them. The principal study measures ex amine the process of care. Overall levels of performance were low: onl y 35.5 % of patients had visual acuity and 54.5 % fundoscopy recorded in the previous year. Significantly better results were observed for b oth examinations in those few practices which performed these examinat ions in more than 10 % of their patients (51.4 % vs 32.0 % (mean diffe rence 19.4, 95 % CI 16.1-23.7) for visual acuity and 65.7 % vs 53.3 % (mean difference 12.4, 95 % CI 3.0-21.8) for fundoscopy. Less than hal f of diabetic patients in Lanarkshire currently receive adequate scree ning for the ocular complications of diabetes. Most practices rely on hospital diabetic and ophthalmology services. Where practices undertak e ocular examination of patients, this is currently in addition to tho se services provided elsewhere.