16 April 2021

FODO member update - 16 April

This week

• Eye care reforms in Wales - update
• Implementation of NHS fees and grants increase in England
• Consultation - mandatory vaccination for those working in older adult care homes
• Royal College calls for standardisation of digital imaging
• SNP committed to transforming low vision and audiology care
• GOC CET consultation
• Update on chloramphenicol
• Get involved - join the National Cataract Audit Advisory Group

Eye care reforms in Wales - update

Following our 26 March update on eye care reforms in Wales, Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) has published further information in its latest newsletter.

HEIW says the recent publication of Future approach for optometry services "heralds the biggest change in primary care optometry in Wales in a generation".

HEIW appointed two optometrist clinical fellows for the first time in 2020:

• Tim Morgan, former Optometry Wales vice-chair, is leading developments to enable "optometrists to contribute in health prevention, involving the patient in decision making and providing advice" as part of the planned new contract. "Tim is also analysing how optometrists can provide sustainable healthcare, ensuring cost analysis of service delivery whereby financial costs, person impact costs and environmental costs are all considered as a whole."
• Sarah Schum, community optometrist, is leading a workforce data analysis.

Dr Nik Sheen, clinical lead at Cardiff University, Director at WOPEC and eye care transformation lead at HEIW, is "providing the education and development input with the aim of upskilling optometrists and supporting them when they take on additional clinical roles and, crucially, enabling them to become more adept at managing and accepting clinical risk." 

Implementation of NHS fees and grants increase in England

Following the OFNC announcement, the NHS sight test, domiciliary fees, CET grant and the grant payable to supervisors of pre-registration trainees will increase by 1.9% from 1 April 2021.

The changes will be uploaded to PCSE Online from 27 April, and PCSE will confirm how it will make retrospective adjustments for sight tests that occur before the system update. 

Consultation - mandatory vaccination for those working in older adult care homes

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is consulting on amending regulations to require older adult care home providers to deploy only workers who have received their Covid-19 vaccination in line with government guidance. It means those who can provide evidence of a medical exemption from Covid-19 vaccination will not be within scope.

DHSC has also said it will keep this policy under review and consider whether it should be extended to "other parts of the adult social care and health sectors."

The consultation closes on 21 May 2021. Learn more and take part.

If you would like to contribute to the sector response, please email [email protected]. 

Royal College calls for standardisation of digital imaging

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists has endorsed the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) statement, Call for Ophthalmic Equipment Manufacturers to Standardise Digital Imaging.

Due to a lack of data standardisation, it is currently difficult to exchange digital imaging data between platforms. Therefore, the AAO and Royal College call on manufacturers to implement the internationally recognised Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) standard. They say this would ensure interoperability and "a seamless interface that allows the communication and comprehension of image data between two parties".

Learn more about DICOM.

Learn more about how DICOM could be used in eye care. 

SNP committed to transforming low vision and audiology care

The SNP has committed to improving access to low vision services and community audiology.
 
In its manifesto this week, the SNP said it would "establish a National Low Vision Plan, modelled on the Welsh Low Vision Service, to enable more consistent service provision across Scotland." It also said: "We will bolster community audiology provision to help free up capacity in our acute sector. Our ambition is to put community audiology services on par with our free community eye care services". Read the manifesto. 

GOC CET consultation

The GOC is seeking views on updating its Continuing Education and Training (CET) exceptional circumstances policy. The policy provides guidance on what might constitute an exceptional circumstance which may have resulted in a registrant being unable to meet their CET requirements.

The consultation will close on Thursday 8 July 2021. Learn more and take part.

If you would like to contribute to the FODO response, please email [email protected]. 

Update on chloramphenicol

The College of Optometrists has made temporary changes to its Optometrists' Formulary. The changes reflect an update to the summary of product characteristics for the Prescription Only Medicine form of chloramphenicol 0.5% multi-dose eye drops. A change in posology means it can now only be used with adults and children over two years of age. Read more.  

Get involved - join the National Cataract Audit Advisory Group

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists is inviting ophthalmologist representatives to apply to join the National Cataract Audit Advisory Group. The post-holder will support the clinical lead and project manager in developing the national cataract audit. Learn more and apply.