Nationally, the NHS, in 2022 set out priorities to improve patient access to eye care and advocates developing systems to promote patient flow and access to treatment. As part of a multidisciplinary team, ophthalmic nurses influence practice for the benefit of patients, nurses and the multidisciplinary team.

Within the workforce, ophthalmic nurses have an all-encompassing role, as clinician, technician, manager, educator and researcher. Ophthalmic nurses should aim to focus on holistic patient care, avoiding practice from a task related perspective. 

The RCN Ophthalmic Nursing Forum, (in alignment with the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, 2023) considers that the ophthalmic nursing workforce should be empowered with lifelong learning to develop and support their role in terms of theory and practice so that they can work at every sphere of practice, from newly qualified registered nurse to advancing practice, including consultant level practice. 

The RCN Workforce Standards are clear that 'the nursing workforce is the most important factor in the provision of safe, effective, high quality compassionate, competent care in a timely, cost-effective and sustainable manner'. In order to articulate this, the RCN has developed a series of workforce standards to enhance safe practice, see: RCN Workforce Standards.