01 November 2020

Temporary approval to suspend the need for signatures on ophthalmic forms

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has approved a temporary measure in England to help limit the transmission of coronavirus by suspending the need for patients to sign GOS  forms for a period of five months to 31 March 2021.

GOS contractors will have to complete the relevant GOS form(s) on behalf of the patient. Patients should be asked to confirm their eligibility and for that to be marked on the relevant form. Practices should continue to ask patients to produce evidence of entitlement and should mark the form ‘evidence not seen’ if a patient does not produce this. Where patients should sign forms, contractors are asked to annotate the form with ‘COVID-19’. Signatures from contractors/performers are still required on all forms.

Source: Department of Health and Social Care, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/temporary-approval-to-suspend-the-need-for-signatures-on-prescriptions-dental-and-ophthalmic-forms