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Ophthalmic Services: Information Sharing

Asked by Shockat AdamIndependentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 22 October 2025UIN 82093

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to provide NHS email accounts to (a) optometrists and (b) other NHS contractors to support more (i) efficient and (ii) secure communication across services.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock

NHS.net, formally NHSmail, provides licences for optometry practices in England, specifically for General Ophthalmic Services contractors with 10 or fewer sites. Eligible practices can receive one shared mailbox and up to three individual NHS.net accounts per site, enabling the secure communication of patient data. NHS.net also provides secure communication to other commissioned partners delivering healthcare across pharmacy, dentistry, social care, and other neighbourhood community providers.

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