26 February 2021

FODO member update – 26 February

This week

• Vison Atlas launched
• Covid-19 updates
• Northern Ireland - PPE reimbursement scheme
• Get ready for IR35
• Refractive error. Still the heart of optometry
• National Eye Health Week 2021
• Latest figures on registered blind and partially sighted people in England
• Glaucoma UK on the impact of Covid-19
• Dame Judi Dench discusses macular degeneration's impact
• Other sector news

Vison Atlas launched

The International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness (IAPB) Friends of Vision Group launched the Vision Atlas at a UN Friends of Vision Group meeting on 24 February.

The Vision Atlas allows you to compare UK eye care data with other countries. The Atlas estimates that 6.4% of the UK population has a vision loss. It also provides data on cataract surgery, with an estimated 519,321 procedures each year, with the UK ranking 6 out of 120 countries. Some high-level workforce data shows there are an estimated 3,000 ophthalmologists and 14,308 optometrists in the UK.  

Covid-19 updates

UK Chief Medical Officers have agreed that the Covid alert level should move from level 5 to level 4 in all four nations.

There is also positive news that early real-world UK data shows vaccines provide high levels of protection from the first dose.

This week, the government confirmed that the earliest date for opening all shops in England is 12 April and lifting all restrictions on 21 June. In Scotland, the government confirmed it hoped to open all shops by 26 April. Northern Ireland will review its plans on 18 March and Wales on 12 March.

At this stage, IPC and PPE measures will likely continue for healthcare settings beyond any lifting of national restrictions. FODO will continue to monitor this situation and keep members up to date. 

Northern Ireland - PPE reimbursement scheme

The Department of Health (DoH) is changing its PPE scheme to a self-procurement model with reimbursement.

It has made funding available to reimburse primary care optometry practices for PPE procured for use in providing services to HSCNI patients for the period October 2020 to March 2021. DoH funding for PPE will be capped at £1.28 per service occurrence, and claims will be paid upon production of receipts and validation of activity for the period in question.

The claim form for PPE costs against activity from October to December 2020 must be submitted no later than Friday 12 March 2021.

The claim form for PPE costs against activity from January to March 2021 must be submitted no later than Friday 30 April 2021.

HSCB has stated that late claims will not be processed.

Read the HSCB letter 

Get ready for IR35

This is a reminder that changes to off-payroll working rules (IR35) are due to come into force from 6 April. 

Medium and large-sized businesses, who meet specific criteria, will be responsible for deciding whether to deduct tax and National Insurance Contribution (NICs) from locums operating via a Personal Service Company (PSC).

To support businesses with this, HMRC has created a Check employment status for tax (CEST) tool. It can be used to assess whether a locum is classed as employed or self-employed. Members can use this tool and save a copy of the report as a record should HMRC later challenge a decision.

• Use CEST
• Learn more about IR35

Members who have any questions about IR35 can contact us by emailing [email protected]. 

Refractive error. Still the heart of optometry

Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics this week reports on how refractive error is still at the heart of optometry.

Editor-in-chief Mark Rosenfield acknowledges that optometric practice increasingly involves more complex clinical work but points out how clinicians and researchers "are sometimes guilty of underestimating the impact of a refractive correction on a patient". 

Mark notes: "It must never be forgotten that a simple pair of glasses can change a life". He adds: "It is admirable that the scope of practice of optometry is expanding, but we must not lose sight (pun intended) of the area for which we are uniquely qualified."

National Eye Health Week 2021

Eye Health UK has confirmed National Eye Health Week 2021 (NEHW) will run from 20 to 26 September. The week aims to raise the optics' profile by encouraging the public to be 'eye aware' through a series of initiatives inspiring greater uptake of routine sight tests and highlighting the role healthy lifestyles play in preventing avoidable sight loss.

FODO is an official partner of National Eye Health Week. If you are interested in getting involved, you can email [email protected].

Latest figures on registered blind and partially sighted people in England

NHS Digital has published the latest data on the number of blind and partially sighted people who registered with their local authority during 2019-20.

There were 57 new registrations per day in 2019-20 compared to 56 per day in 2016-17. By 31 March 2020, there were five registrations per 1,000 people in England, with a total of 276,690 registrations overall. The data also shows one in three on the register has an additional disability. Read more.

Glaucoma UK on the impact of Covid-19

Glaucoma UK and Wilmington Healthcare have produced an infographic to demonstrate the Covid-19 pandemic's impact on glaucoma care in England.

The infographic shows how an estimated 700,000 people in the UK have glaucoma, with 22 people a month experiencing severe or permanent sight loss due to delays. On the impacts of Covid-19, it shows how surgical activity for glaucoma reduced by over 40% and face-to-face appointments by over 50% in 2020.

Dame Judi Dench discusses macular degeneration's impact

Dame Judi Dench - who has macular degeneration - says she finds the problems with her eyesight "intensely irritating" and has explained how she has found new ways of learning lines. Watch her short interview on Twitter. 

Other sector news

NHSx has published an Eye care digital playbook that provides clinical teams and organisations with examples of digital tools to improve how ophthalmology services are delivered. The playbook includes scenarios and case studies. Learn more.

The organisers of 100% Optical have announced a two-day online event on May 23-24 after the pandemic caused the ExCeL exhibition's cancellation. Meanwhile, AIO has confirmed its annual conference will take place at Chesford Grange in Warwickshire on October 9-10.

ABDO has launched an online Clinical Hub to bring together research and current knowledge on various topics.

The GOC is supporting LGBT+ History month by raising awareness among its staff and holding events.

Moorfields Eye Hospital is launching a department of digital medicine. The new department will be responsible for monitoring digital systems' clinical safety, coordinating clinical input into our digital infrastructure design, and supporting the implementation of new technologies like clinical artificial intelligence (AI) into practice. It will also undertake real-world validation of new capabilities and rapid piloting of new digital services. Learn more.