Cardiff University Expands Ophthalmology Training in Wales; Cardiff, Wales 2026

Key Points

• Cardiff University has partnered with ophthalmology services provider Newmedica to expand training in secondary eye care roles in Wales.
• The collaboration aims to create a pipeline of future ophthalmology clinicians and upskill current professionals to address patient demand and recruitment shortages.
• Enhanced training will include clinical placements in outpatient and surgical settings, specialist training in glaucoma management, laser procedures and surgical skills, and further healthcare training for advanced optometrists and healthcare managers.
• Professor Joy Myint, head of school and professor of optometry at Cardiff University’s School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, said the partnership is focused on developing future clinicians and ensuring long-term sustainability of eye care in Wales.
• Training is expected to begin at Newmedica clinics, following Cardiff University’s “learning and treating” model, where workers learn from real-life patients, merge experience and data with university research, and evaluate how these may work at scale.
• Nigel Kirkpatrick, medical director at Newmedica, said the collaboration will introduce shared performance monitoring through “report card” style feedback systems to track learning outcomes, quality standards and productivity metrics.
• Doug Perkins CBE, Specsavers and Newmedica founder and Cardiff University alumnus, said the co-ordinated service could help Health Boards develop solutions allowing ophthalmologists and optometrists to work across borders, building a Welsh workforce and supporting the Welsh health economy.
• The initiative is explicitly framed as a response to recruitment shortages and rising patient demand for eye care services in Wales.

Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) July 7, 2026 – Cardiff University has launched a new partnership with ophthalmology services provider Newmedica to expand training in secondary eye care roles, aiming to build a pipeline of specialist ophthalmology clinicians and address recruitment shortages and rising patient demand for eye care across Wales.

How is Cardiff University expanding ophthalmology training in Wales?

As reported by Cardiff University in its announcement on the partnership, the university has collaborated with Newmedica to

“build a future pipeline of healthcare professionals that specialise in ophthalmology, in order to tackle patient demand and recruitment shortages in Wales”.

The partnership is designed to enhance training in secondary eye care roles and create additional opportunities for practice-based training. According to the university’s statement, this includes:

• Clinical placements across outpatient and surgical settings, including postgraduate trainees and pre-registration optometry student internships.
• Specialist training in glaucoma management, laser procedures and surgical skills.
• Further healthcare training for professionals such as advanced optometrists and healthcare managers.

Professor Joy Myint, head of school and professor of optometry at Cardiff University’s School of Optometry and Vision Sciences, said:

“The partnership is firmly focused on developing a pipeline of future clinicians, while also upskilling current professionals to ensure the long-term sustainability of eye care provision in Wales”.

She added that for students, the arrangement “creates more placements to enable more people to qualify, while also offering enhanced access to diverse clinical environments and career development opportunities”.

Where will the training take place and how will it be delivered?

Training is expected to begin at Newmedica clinics and will follow Cardiff University’s current “learning and treating” model, according to the university’s description of the collaboration.

Under this model, workers learn from real-life patients, merge experiences and data with university research, use learnings to inform healthcare teachings and improvements, and evaluate how these may work at scale.

Nigel Kirkpatrick, medical director at Newmedica, said:

“This approach ensures that training is closely aligned to real-world demand and service delivery, benefitting both learners and patients”.

He further explained that the collaboration will introduce shared performance monitoring through “report card” style feedback systems, which

“will track learning outcomes, quality standards, and productivity metrics, ensuring a consistent, high-quality professional development experience”.

Why is this partnership being introduced now?

The university’s announcement states that the partnership is being introduced to

“tackle patient demand and recruitment shortages in Wales”.

This indicates that eye care services in Wales are facing pressure from both increased need from patients and difficulties in recruiting and retaining specialist ophthalmology staff.

Professor Myint’s statement reinforces this rationale, highlighting the need to “ensure the long-term sustainability of eye care provision in Wales” through both new entrants into the field and upskilling of existing professionals.

Doug Perkins CBE, Specsavers and Newmedica founder and Cardiff University alumnus, added that through this co-ordinated service,

“we believe we can help Health Boards develop solutions that allow ophthalmologists and optometrists to work across borders”.

He said this approach could build

“a Welsh workforce dedicated to the long-term eye health needs of the people of Wales – thus keeping business in Wales and supporting the Welsh health economy with less need to rely on short-term solutions”.

What does this mean for students and trainees in optometry and ophthalmology?

As reported by Cardiff University, the partnership creates more clinical placements for students, which “enable more people to qualify”.

The expanded training opportunities include:

• Postgraduate trainee placements in outpatient and surgical settings.
• Pre-registration optometry student internships.
• Specialist training in glaucoma management, laser procedures and surgical skills.

Professor Myint said that for students, the arrangement offers “enhanced access to diverse clinical environments and career development opportunities”.

This suggests that trainees will be able to experience a broader range of eye care settings and develop skills that may improve their employability and career progression within Wales.

How will performance and quality be monitored in the new training programme?

According to Nigel Kirkpatrick, medical director at Newmedica, the collaboration will introduce shared performance monitoring through “report card” style feedback systems.

These systems will:

• Track learning outcomes.
• Monitor quality standards.
• Measure productivity metrics.

Kirkpatrick stated that this approach

“ensures a consistent, high-quality professional development experience”.

The use of such structured feedback mechanisms indicates an intention to maintain accountability and transparency in the training process, aligning with best practices in healthcare education.

What role does Doug Perkins CBE say this partnership plays for Wales?

Doug Perkins CBE, who is the founder of Specsavers and Newmedica and a Cardiff University alumnus, said:

“Through this co-ordinated service, we believe we can help Health Boards develop solutions that allow ophthalmologists and optometrists to work across borders”.

He added that this could build

“a Welsh workforce dedicated to the long-term eye health needs of the people of Wales”.

Perkins further stated that the initiative would

“keep business in Wales and support the Welsh health economy with less need to rely on short-term solutions”.

His comments position the partnership as not only an educational and clinical development but also as a strategic economic measure to strengthen local capacity in eye care.

Background: Context and development of the Cardiff University–Newmedica partnership

The partnership between Cardiff University and Newmedica is framed as a response to systemic pressures in Welsh eye care, specifically rising patient demand and recruitment shortages in ophthalmology and related secondary eye care roles.

Cardiff University’s School of Optometry and Vision Sciences has previously operated a “learning and treating” model, where clinical learning is integrated with research and service delivery, and the new partnership extends this model into specialist ophthalmology training through Newmedica’s clinics.

Newmedica, co-founded by Doug Perkins CBE, is an ophthalmology services provider with existing links to Cardiff University, as Perkins is a university alumnus.

The collaboration therefore builds on prior relationships between the university and the private eye care sector, seeking to formalise and expand practice-based training opportunities for both students and established professionals.

The initiative explicitly targets long-term sustainability of eye care provision, rather than temporary fixes, by aiming to create a pipeline of Welsh-trained clinicians and to upskill existing staff.

Performance monitoring through “report card” style feedback systems reflects an approach aligned with broader healthcare education standards that emphasise measurable outcomes, quality assurance and continuous improvement.

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Prediction: How could this development affect patients, students and the Welsh health economy?

If the partnership successfully increases the number of trained ophthalmology clinicians and upskills existing professionals, patients in Wales may experience:

• Reduced waiting times for eye care appointments and treatments, as more clinicians are available to manage demand.
• Improved access to specialist services such as glaucoma management and laser procedures, particularly in areas currently underserved.
• Greater continuity of care, with more locally trained clinicians less reliant on short-term external solutions.

However, the extent of these benefits will depend on how quickly training capacities are expanded and how effectively the new clinicians are integrated into Health Board services.

Impact on students and trainees

For students in optometry and related courses, the partnership could mean:

• More available clinical placements, increasing the likelihood of qualifying without delays due to placement shortages.
• Exposure to a wider range of clinical environments and specialist procedures, potentially improving confidence and competence before entering the workforce.
• Enhanced career development opportunities, including pathways into advanced optometry and specialist ophthalmology roles within Wales.

The introduction of “report card” style feedback may also provide trainees with clearer, more structured assessments of their progress, which could support targeted learning and professional growth.

Impact on the Welsh health economy and workforce planning

From a workforce planning perspective, the initiative could:

• Reduce reliance on short-term recruitment solutions, such as overseas hires or temporary staff, by building a sustainable Welsh-trained pipeline.
• Support the retention of eye care business and expertise within Wales, potentially strengthening the local health economy.
• Enable ophthalmologists and optometrists to work across borders within Health Boards, improving flexibility in staffing and service delivery.

If the model is evaluated successfully at scale, it could also inform similar collaborations in other areas of specialist healthcare, contributing to broader workforce development strategies in Wales.