All of our prisons are equipped with a slit lamp, a trial frame and set of trial lenses, an ophthalmoscope and retinoscope, a test chart and a manual focimeter. Our Optometrists are also given a handheld tonometer which they take with them to every clinic. Our Optometrists will also take a selection of frames (provided by us) as well as any other equipment, e.g. PD ruler, cross cyls etc with them each time they visit a prison. Most prisons do not have fields machines and fundus cameras/OCT machines are not currently available in any of our prisons.

Our Optometrists will usually see between 10 and 12 patients per day.

Our Optometrists are given 25 minute appointment slots. During this time they will conduct the eye test and, if necessary, will also dispense glasses to the patient.

No - there is no sales pressure when working as a prison Optometrist.

Whilst some of our Optometrists only work in one prison, the majority will go to a number of sites within a region which is local to them.

Many people have pre-conceived ideas of what it is like to work within a prison. Whilst we acknowledge that it is different to working in the community, and comes with its own set of challenges, we are confident that it is not as unsafe or intimidating as people may think. Extensive training is given to our Optometrists so that they know how to respond should any risks arise while they are on site. However, we are pleased to say that to date there have been no significant incidents involving our Optometrists. The majority of patients they see are very polite and grateful that they have access to our service, and behave as patients in the community would.

Clinics are split into two sessions; morning and afternoon. The morning session is roughly between 9am-12pm and the afternoon session is 1.30-4.30pm.

These sessions work around the prison regime and each clinic runs for around three hours.

Each prison is equipped with a healthcare department, which is almost like a mini hospital with rooms for a GP, nurse, dentist and other healthcare staff.

Patients are usually collected from their wings and brought into the healthcare department by prison officers. However, at some sites patients are able to attend without being collected by an officer, e.g. open prisons or during free flow hours.

The clinic ledgers are typically set up a few weeks before and patients can apply using an optician triage form. They are then added to the waiting list. Once an appointment is arranged, appointment slips are sent with the detail of clinic, date and time.

The full eye examination and glasses dispense is all completed within the appointment time.

Urgent cases may be referred on the day from prison GP or nurses so they will have to be accommodated.

At the end of each session there is time to send any reports to the GP or process any external ophthalmology referrals

• Kam Bains; Locum Optomerist