31 December 2020

Patients continue to benefit from access to primary eye care and audiology

The Department of the Taoiseach has confirmed that Level 5 Covid-19 alert level will apply nationally from midnight 30 December until 31 January 2021. Throughout this period patients will continue to benefit from access to primary eye care and audiology as

• Opticians and optometrists can provide essential services as CORU registered professionals and by way of provision of medical devices [1]

• Opticians and optometrists are classified as essential retail [2]

• Practices providing hearing test services or selling hearing aids and appliances are now also classified as essential retail [3]

End

References

[1] https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/c9158-essential-services/#human-health-and-social-work-activities

Human health and social work activities

The following services relating to human health and social work activities:

“therapy services provided by a member of a designated profession within the meaning of section 3 of the Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005 (No. 27 of 2005)”

[2] https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/60ecc-essential-retail-outlets-for-level-5/

“This list applies for Level 5 only.

Retailers with mixed retail offering which have discrete spaces for essential and non-essential retail should make arrangements for the separation of relevant areas.

[..]

16. Optician and optometrist outlets. Any retail parts of premises should not be open to general public for browsing.”

[3] https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/60ecc-essential-retail-outlets-for-level-5/

[..]

"17. Outlets providing hearing test services or selling hearing aids and appliances."

As updated 31 December 2020.

Note. This member update was amended on 31 December at 15.45 to reflect audiology services moving from outlets classified as essential "insofar as they offer services on an emergency basis only" to essential.