09 April 2021

Member update - 9 April

This week:

• Public positive about primary eye care provision during Covid-19
• NHS funded PPE extended until end of March 2022
• FODO responds to NHS reforms in England
• Get involved - Low vision survey
• Royal College launches cataract services workforce guidance
• Incoming OFNC Chair confirms course for the coming year

Public positive about primary eye care provision during Covid-19

In its fifth public perceptions report, the GOC has found that 96% of respondents were satisfied with their last optician's visit.

The research also found that 97% of respondents were satisfied and 75% very satisfied with the measures to avoid virus transmission during the pandemic.

The report says: "The public appear to have very high satisfaction with the measures that have been put in place by opticians to avoid current virus transmission". It added that considering how opticians had to redesign services, this was "an achievement that should be celebrated".

The survey data also showed a gradual shift in perceptions since 2015, with more people likely to speak to their optician first about a red eye or blurred vision. The proportion of survey respondents seeing their optician as the first point of call increasing from 19% in 2015 to 30% in 2021.

In total, 2,087 interviews were completed across the UK.

Read the GOC press release.

Read the full report. 

NHS funded PPE extended until end of March 2022

In England, the Department of Health and Social Care will continue to fund PPE for opticians until 31 March 2022. NHS England said that clinical experts expected usage would "remain high throughout the next financial year".

PPE will continue to be provided through the existing portal or other agreed distribution channels. If you are having any problems accessing this NHS funded PPE, please email us at [email protected]. 

FODO responds to NHS reforms in England

This week, we responded to NHS England's consultation on the new provider selection regime (PSR). The consultation covered wide-ranging reforms to the NHS commissioning system in England.

In our response, we called for the NHS to protect the national GOS sight test and case-finding service, which is at the heart of primary eye care in England, and to ensure new Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) commission more extended primary eye care services to prevent avoidable sight loss.

Thank you to members who responded to previous member updates and agreed to take part in our response. Read our full response.

If you have any questions about this consultation or NHS reforms, you can email us at [email protected]. 

Get involved - Low vision survey

The Clinical Council for Eye Health Commissioning (CCEHC) is seeking your support to understand better the impact the pandemic has had on low vision assessment services in England. Any information you provide will be used to inform how these services could be improved. The survey takes no more than 10 minutes to complete. Take part - closes 30 April.
 
If you are willing to share local protocols, please send these to?the CCEHC Secretariat at [email protected].

Royal College launches cataract services workforce guidance

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists (RCOphth) has worked with the College of Optometrists and Royal College of Nursing to "develop cataract workforce guidance to support local eye health systems to meet increasing demand for cataract surgery, in a joined-up, sustainable and Covid-safe way."

The RCOphth said: "Cataract services around the UK are being redesigned to increase their capacity, through streamlining pathways and integration with primary care optometry, as described in the GIRFT report. Significant work is being done to improve referrals, optimise surgical throughout and implement post-operative review by primary care optometrists."

Read more.

Incoming OFNC Chair confirms course for the coming year

The new OFNC Chair Gordon Ilett has paid tribute to outgoing Chair Paul Carroll's leadership and promised continued support for the optical sector through the pandemic.

Read more.