26 November 2021

FODO member update - 26 November

This week:

• Are you ready for CPD? Read new GOC guidance
• Covid-19 update
• Apprenticeship update
• FODO annual report and AGM
• Clinical engagement event - NHS England Special School Eye Care Service
• Hackney man first to receive 3D-printed prosthetic eye
• Self-testing IOP device wins Dyson Award
• NHS reforms in England lead to new mergers
• Other sector news

Are you ready for CPD? Read new GOC guidance

The GOC has published a guide to help registrants understand its new continuing professional development (CPD) scheme, which replaces CET in just over five weeks.
 
The guide explains the new CPD scheme for optometrists and dispensing opticians, including:

• The legal requirement to complete CPD as a GOC registration
• The requirement to obtain a minimum of 36 points over four domains in each three-year cycle. Of which a minimum of 50% (18 points) must be through interactive CPD
• Completing at least one peer review event
• A minimum of 18 points must be from GOC CPD providers, but registrants can also participate in self-directed CPD.

There are additional requirements for registrants with an AS, SP or IP speciality.
 
Read the full guide. 

Covid-19 update

This week, IPC guidance for health and care settings has been updated for winter 2021-22. We have published more information on fodo.com and will update members when the College updates sector-specific guidance to help implement these changes.
 
The Department of Health and Social Care in England also encourages pregnant women to get the Covid-19 vaccine following new UK safety data. Read more. 

Apprenticeship update

The College of Optometrists has published its response to the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education's (IfATE) consultation on the optometry degree apprenticeship standard and EPA survey.
 
Lizzy Ostler, Director of Education for The College of Optometrists, invited wider stakeholder involvement in the development process, saying that in their current form, the proposals needed "substantial redrafting in collaboration with leading sector bodies and stakeholders". Read the College's complete statement.
 
FODO also updated members last week that it would respond to IfATE. Read FODO's letter to the Institute. 

FODO annual report and AGM

FODO published its 2020 annual report at its AGM on 16 November. At the event, Lynda Oliver was re-elected as FODO Chair and confirmed the AGM would return to normal in 2022, with the annual report and AGM moving back to May each year. Read the annual report. 

Clinical engagement event - NHS England Special School Eye Care Service

NHS England (NHSE) is holding an online event on 1 and 2 December between 6.30pm and 7.30pm (repeated session). The event will cover the NHSE proof of concept for eye care in special schools. The project aims to ensure children can access a sight test and, if clinically necessary, a full dispensing service on the school premises. See a short film about the service. Book your place. 

Hackney man first to receive 3D-printed prosthetic eye

A man from East London received the first 3D-printed prosthetic eye on 25 November at Moorfields Eye Hospital. It is hoped the eye will be more realistic than a traditional acrylic prosthetic eye. The BBC reports that developers hope this process will help reduce waiting lists as it cuts the time it takes for patients to be fitted with their prosthetics from six to three weeks. 

Self-testing IOP device wins Dyson Award

A new wearable device to help people check their intraocular pressure (IOP) at home has won the International James Dyson Award.
 
The Home Eye Pressure E-skin Sensor (HOPES) is still in development, with research being undertaken in Singapore to collect patients' IOP data to train a machine learning model. The concept is that the users will place the fingertip of the glove, which uses a sensor, on the centre of the eyelid, which will then transmit intraocular pressure data to a paired device. 

NHS reforms in England lead to new mergers

Reforms announced by the Health Secretary will see Health Education England merge with NHS England, with the hope of improving workforce planning.
 
The Wade-Gery review's publication has also resulted in the merger of NHSX and NHS Digital into NHSE. The NHSX and NHSD brands will be dropped. The merger is expected to be carried out as soon as legislation allows. NHSX will evolve into the strategy function of NHSE's transformation directorate - the role of the strategy function will continue to include the digital transformation of social care. 

Other sector news

NICE is holding a virtual workshop on 17 December between 9.30am and 12:30pm
to develop what will be covered in its diabetic retinopathy guideline. A formal consultation on the draft scope will run from 18 January to 15 February 2022. To attend, email [email protected] by 8 December.
 
A new report published by Guide Dogs' Creating the Future Commission 2021 has recommended a universal pathway for children and young people with vision impairment in England. The charity has also called for more funding and a new national strategy for children and young people with low incidence, high need conditions.
 
Fight for Sight has appointed a new Chief Executive, Keith Valentine, who takes up the post in January 2022.
 
Professor James Wolffsohn, Head of Optometry at Aston University, has been named a world expert in contact lenses research based on his publications. Read more
 
After researching possible false negatives in Manchester, researchers said the Covid-19 Urgent Eyecare Service (CUES) was clinically safe and should be commissioned. There was a false negative rate of 0.23% for cases with moderate to high risk of sight loss. Researchers described the rate as reassuringly low and that CUES compared favourably on false negatives with currently commissioned primary care services.