Written question asked by Dean Russell (Conservative) on Thursday, 16 March 2023, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 20 March 2023. It was answered by Neil O'Brien (Conservative) on Tuesday, 21 March 2023 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.

Eyes: Surgery

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals on regulating the eye surgery industry.

Answer: No assessment has been made. Doctors performing refractive eye surgery in the United Kingdom must be registered with the General Medical Council (GMC), the independent regulator of all medical doctors practising in the UK. Providers who carry out refractive eye surgery must also be registered by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), the independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. All refractive eye surgery locations are monitored and, where necessary, inspected by CQC. If CQC become aware of any concerns regarding an individual medical practitioner, then CQC will notify the GMC.

Secondary information