04 March 2022

FODO member update - 4 March

This week

• Eye care transformation update England
• NHS England flu jab update
• NHS Scotland needs to deliver more care out of hospital
• Glaucoma UK launches new step-by-step guide to help patients with eye drops
• Climate change update
• Polish optometrists and opticians support Ukrainians
• GPs bitterly disappointed with new contract in England
• Other sector news

Eye care transformation update England

This month's newsletter update from the NHS National Eye Care Recovery and Transformation Programme (NECRTP) says: "Primary eye care is well placed to provide a coordinated and comprehensive service as part of a broader eye care delivery system, reducing pressure on hospital eye services for the benefit of patients and the wider NHS".

The NECRTP confirms that 16 areas were interested in becoming early adopters of Optometry First. The following three have now been selected:

• Bassetlaw
• Sefton
• Isle of Wight

The update also said the NECRTP is undertaking a review, with an "interim plan to inform how the eye care programme will go forward in the next financial year". It added that it is "pleased to continue for at least the next six months" and that it will bring "some aspects of this year's work to a position in which it can be handed over to regional colleagues for local implementation and on developing a realistic plan for next year and hope to share these plans with you soon".

You can read the full newsletter at LOCSU

NHS England flu jab update

NHS England has confirmed that from 2021/22, the complimentary offer of flu vaccinations for primary care staff will not be extended for 2022/23. Therefore, the provision of seasonal flu vaccinations will return to being an employer's responsibility as part of the organisation's policy to prevent the transmission of infections for all frontline staff.

NHS Scotland needs to deliver more care out of hospital

Audit Scotland has said that the "Scottish Government must focus on transforming health and social care services to address the growing cost of the NHS and its recovery from Covid-19". It warns of significant challenges ahead, with "competing demands of the pandemic and an increasing number of other policy initiatives, including plans for a National Care Service".

Stephen Boyle, auditor general for Scotland, said: "There's now a clear opportunity to do things differently by building on the innovation and collaboration we've seen across the NHS in the last few years". He said this needs NHS leadership to "shift from care being delivered in hospitals to much closer to people's homes". Read more.

FODO Scotland welcomed Mr Boyle's statement that more care needs to be delivered from the hospital and closer to home to meet the NHS's challenges.

The BMA also welcomed the report, saying it highlighted the pressure services were under in Scotland.

Glaucoma UK launches new step-by-step guide to help patients with eye drops

Glaucoma UK reports that eye drops are among the top three reasons people call its helpline. It said that despite being the first-line intervention for most glaucoma patients, "an alarmingly high number of people who are prescribed eye drops do not use them correctly, risking serious damage to their vision". In response, the charity has produced a free guide to help patients use eye drops.

Climate change update

This week, UK optical bodies, including FODO, issued a statement confirming that they will work together to help the sector meet UK climate change targets. Read the statement.

NHS Providers also issued an update on how hospitals are committing to sustainability.

Polish optometrists and opticians support Ukrainians

Polish opticians and optometrists have launched coordinated help to support people arriving from Ukraine. The network of primary care practices will supply eye care without cost for people who forgot, lost, or need glasses, contact lenses, or eye care.

If you have a story about improving access to eye care, please get in touch by emailing [email protected].

GPs bitterly disappointed with new contract in England

The BMA had said it is "bitterly disappointed" with changes to the GP contract in England announced on 1 March. It said that NHS England's proposals "have not been agreed or endorsed by the BMA". It continued: "Negotiations reached a stalemate in mid-February when it became clear that NHS England would not be offering an update that would impact meaningfully on patient care." Read the BMA's full response.

Other sector news

This week, Scotland's social care minister also confirmed that a consultation on the detail of a National Care Service would continue and not be rushed. However, he added that the government still intended to meet its commitment to introduce a draft national care service bill to the Scottish parliament by this summer.

NHS workforce statistics published yesterday show 1,394 FTE consultant ophthalmologists in England and 2,902 FTE ophthalmologists at all grades.

The National Eye Care Recovery & Transformation Programme invites stakeholders to attend a National Medical Retina Workforce Workshop on 23 March, 5.30pm - 7pm. You can book a place by contacting [email protected].

The Sector Partnership for Optical Knowledge and Education (SPOKE), a cross-sector collaboration funded by the General Optical Council (GOC), and led and managed by The College of Optometrists, has published its first project's output.

Regulations making Covid-19 vaccination a condition of deployment in England will end on 15 March after 90% of survey respondents agreed with the government proposal. The GOC has previously issued a statement responding to this forthcoming change, encouraging vaccination (except for medically exempt). Read the GOC statement.

King's College researchers report on a new innovative system to improve retinal surgery. Read more.

RNIB made accessible books free for children in England for World Book Day's 25th anniversary.

Optician reports on concerns that a viral TikTok trend increases the risk of sight loss.

ABDO reports on research by the Childhood Eye Cancer Trust. The charity is concerned about survey results showing a drop in the proportion of parents reporting eye health concerns in children.

The Guardian says the Royal College of Physicians has warned that the NHS is not ready to meet the needs of an ageing population.

LSHTM reports that a study has found "multiple interactions between improved eye care and advances in education, poverty reduction and equality". Read more.

This week, the HSJ reports that:

• NHS Trusts in England warn that new financial incentive model could "affect trusts' ability to deliver safe patient care if it does not recognise 'legitimate variation'"
• ICSs have been tasked with reviewing their electronic patient record systems to make them "more interoperable, and how this would be funded".