31 July 2020

FODO’s Friday roundup – sector news

This week's news

1. UK Colleges advise it's OK to restart routine visual field testing
2. 2020 Northern Ireland sight test and ophthalmic public health survey
3. Scotland to restart routine eye care
4. Wales continues progress through amber phase
5. Training for online GOS submissions - England
6. Healthcare registrants to self-isolate on return to England from high-risk countries
7. Self-isolation period extended to 10 days
8. Job Retention Bonus update
9. More businesses can now access loans under CBILS
10. The future of healthcare - Matt Hancock speaks to Royal College of Physicians
11. Other news

1. UK Colleges advise it's OK to restart routine visual field testing 

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists and the College of Optometrists have issued new guidance on the use of bowl perimeters for testing visual field during Covid-19. 

The Colleges state: "For both primary and secondary care settings, the routine use of perimetry should be restarted", where clinically indicated, subject to a risk assessment and implementing recommendations in their joint guidance. Read the full guidance. 

2. 2020 Northern Ireland sight test and ophthalmic public health survey 

The Department of Health has published the findings of its survey, which estimates the demand for sight tests and potential outcomes. Participants included 113 optometry practices, a response rate of 42%, and they completed more than 4,000 surveys. 

The results showed that GOS funded 72.3% of sight tests, 27.3% were self-funded, and 0.4% unknown. Most of the sampled cases attended for a sight test on a routine basis, 20% because of problems with their vision and 4.8% due to other issues with their eye. Vision correction was prescribed in 2,930 cases, and 4.4% of patients were referred. Learn more.   

3. Scotland to restart routine eye care

The Scottish Government issued its latest PCA on Thursday 30 July which sets out how:

• Routine eye care services, including PEE, can restart from Monday 3 August. This will apply to eye care provided within community optometry practice premises and in patients' own homes, subject to meeting specific conditions set out in the PCA
• Face-to-face domiciliary eye care provided in day centres and residential centres, including care homes, will remain suspended. These patients should continue to receive a remote consultation and if there are concerns the patient's GP and the relevant Health Board should be consulted to ensure care is provided in line with local pathways.

As practices will need time to remobilise and train staff who are currently on furlough and to contact patients, the Scottish Government has extended the financial support arrangements set out in PCA(O)2020(11) while it reviews financial support. It recognises the importance of protecting the practice infrastructure and workforce at a time when the need for appropriate infection control and physical distancing measures will reduce the number of patients that practices can safely see face-to-face, compared to pre-Covid-19 levels. 

Responding to the latest PCA, Optometry Scotland said it was "happy to announce a return to the new normal for optometry, dispensing and community eyecare by way of the resumption of most routine services". 

We advise members in Scotland to read PCA(O)2020(2) in detail.  

4. Wales continues progress through amber phase

The Welsh Government this week wrote to all optometry practices about the re-introduction of more services during the amber phase, confirming:

• Capacity is available for practices to recall routine patients for their due sight test, but that prioritisation and scheduling should continue to consider clinical needs and presenting symptoms
• Active recall of patients can restart from Monday 3 August
• Domiciliary eye care providers will receive a new standard operating procedure and can recommence from 17 August.

The Welsh Government also confirmed that as practices recover, it will keep the current financial package under review.

Read the 30 July letter.

5. Training for online GOS submissions - England 

As we reported last week, current GOS forms will stop on 30 September 2020, with practices encouraged to submit claims online. PCSE is running an online training course on 18 August 6.30-7.30pm to help practices understand the new system and go paperless. Register.  

6. Healthcare registrants to self-isolate on return to England from high-risk countries 

Registered healthcare professionals, including optometrists and dispensing opticians, will no longer be exempt from the requirement to self-isolate for 14 days when returning from high-risk countries. The government announcement brings all registered health and care workers in line with the general public. 

The original exemption was to help healthcare professionals abroad return to the UK to work. However, now people are starting to travel abroad for holidays, the government has changed its advice. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are responsible for their Covid-19 regulations.   

7. Self-isolation period extended to 10 days 

The UK's Chief Medical Officers confirmed yesterday, 30 July, that the UK would extend the self-isolation period from 7 to 10 days for those in the community who have symptoms or a positive test result. 

The change is in response to emerging evidence that people might remain infectious between seven and nine days after illness onset. Read more.  

8. Job Retention Bonus update 

HMRC has today, 31 July, published a policy paper to provide more detail on the Job Retention Bonus. 

The Bonus will pay £1,000 for every eligible employee and will be taxable. HMRC has confirmed that this will be open for all previously furloughed employees who meet the eligibility criteria, including office holders, company directors and agency workers, including those employed by umbrella companies. However, only earnings recorded through HMRC Real Time Information (RTI) records can count towards the £520 a month average minimum earnings threshold. 

Employers will be able to claim from February 2021 through GOV.UK with more detailed guidance now expected by the end of September 2020. We will keep members up to date.  

9. More businesses can now access loans under CBILS 

Following the relaxation of State Aid rules by the European Commission, more businesses are now eligible for the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). 

Previously CBILS could not be awarded to businesses which were 'in difficulty' at the end of 2019. However, the Commission's decision now allows micro and small businesses, which were classed as undertakings in difficulty on 31 December 2019, to access the scheme. The change means companies with fewer than 50 employees and turnover less than £9 million that were previously declined or illegible, can now relook at the scheme as a potential source of finance. Read more.   

10. The future of healthcare - Matt Hancock speaks to Royal College of Physicians 

This week, Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock spoke at the Royal College of Physicians about his vision for the future of healthcare. 

In his speech, Mr Hancock praised all healthcare professionals and providers for their response to the pandemic. He stated: "This crisis showed that we were at our best when we were looking outwards, drawing on ideas and expertise wherever they may be found - and that means the private sector too." 

He added: "The NHS needs open borders. Better joint working between local authorities and the NHS locally to embrace the solutions that work." He cautioned that restricting oneself "to the false divide of public or private and you are only fishing for solutions in half of the pond". 

Mr Hancock went on to praise the "logistical know-how of Amazon, the production lines of Burberry, the car parks of IKEA, and literal boots on the ground from the British Army". 

He also said that "independent hospitals stepped forward and provided services to protect the NHS" and "the NHS worked side-by-side with them all as part of this incredible national effort" on a common goal which had benefited everybody. 

Read the full speech. 

This week the HSJ also reported Matt Hancock call to action, asking staff to "speak up" about red tape they could do without by launching a "bureaucracy busting call for evidence". The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) consultation asks people who work in health or social care to share views "on how to get rid of 'unnecessary bureaucracy' ? tasks and processes that need a lot of work but add little value." The consultation closes on 13 September 2020. Members interested in taking part should email [email protected].   

11. Other news 

OPO retains its position as top-ranked optometry journal in the world. 

Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics (OPO), the College of Optometrists research journal, remains the top-ranked optometry journal in the world after increasing its impact globally and gaining more citations in peer-reviewed literature. 

Professor Mark Rosenfield, Editor-in-Chief of OPO, said: "The journal continues to disseminate the very latest developments in the field." 

Michael Bowen, Director of Research at the College, said: "OPO's continuing success and commitment to excellence exemplifies the College's key role in disseminating optometry and vision science research. Read more. 

Get involved - CUES survey. 

LOCSU will launch its second survey to assess the Covid Urgent Eyecare Service (CUES) in August. The initial study took place in the first week of June, and this second survey hopes to collect data to measure the difference that services are making. Learn more and take part. 

NHS England and NHS Improvement launch people plan for 2020/21. 

NHS England this week launched a series of actions to support "transformation across the whole NHS" workforce. 

WE ARE THE NHS: People Plan 2020/21 - action for us all acknowledges the diversity of the 1.3 million people involved in the NHS, as well as those employed in "primary care across GP practices, dental surgeries, pharmacies and optometrists". 

It includes commitments around looking after the existing workforce, tackling discrimination, and growing the workforce for the future. 

The People Plan sets out "actions to support transformation across the whole NHS. It focuses on how we must all continue to look after each other and foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, as well as action to grow our workforce, train our people, and work together differently to deliver patient care." 

The plan acknowledges the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the healthcare system and makes commitments to learn from the work done to manage the coronavirus. 

Alongside the plan, the government issued an NHS Promise that celebrates the values of the NHS workforce and commits to improving staff's experience at work.