10 June 2022

FODO member update – 10 June

This week:

• Covid update
• Get involved with GOC and shape the future of practice in UK
• College clinical adviser makes Queen's Birthday Honours List
• LOCSU appoints new chair
• Engage in eye care practices research
• Community optometry urged to go green
• Other sector news
• Health policy update

Covid update

Members will be aware that the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) withdrew its infection prevention and control (IPC) guidance on 24 May.

You should now follow local public health and the College of Optometrists' guidance.

England
The UKHSA signposts readers to NHS England's National IPC guidance. This means that:

• Universal masking can stop. The College of Optometrists has confirmed that "asymptomatic non-clinical staff, patients and visitors are no longer required to wear a face-covering when in the practice."

However, the College advises that some team members should continue to use a fluid-resistant surgical face mask (FRSM) in certain circumstances. Read the full College advice.

Wales
In Wales, guidance means mask-wearing advice is the same as in England (see above).

Northern Ireland and Scotland
The College of Optometrists is working with officials in Northern Ireland and Scotland to clarify their position on the general use of face coverings and PPE.

UK-wide domiciliary care
The College advises that "in domiciliary settings, clinicians should continue to wear a face mask when visiting patients' homes and care settings in all four nations". The Domiciliary Eyecare Committee supports this approach.

Next steps
FODO continues to work with the College and other sector partners to review public health guidance and will keep members up to date with any significant developments. In the meantime, please contact us at any time if you need support by emailing [email protected]. 

Get involved with GOC and shape the future of practice in UK

This is a reminder that the GOC is looking for 13 new members to join four of its Council committees: Companies, Education, Registration and Standards. 
Committee members will help shape the future of optical regulation. You will be expected to commit two to four days a year.

• Application deadline: Sunday 19 June (midnight)
• Interviews will take place w/c 18 July
• Appointments start on 1 August 2022

Read more and find out how to apply in the GOC candidate pack. If you have questions, please email [email protected] quoting reference GOC01/22. 

We would particularly encourage FODO members to consider applying for the Companies Committee, where up-to-date business input has not always been as strong as it could have been in recent years. 

College clinical adviser makes Queen's Birthday Honours List

Clinical adviser Daniel Hardiman-McCartney FCOptom has been awarded an MBE for services to optometry in this year's Queen's Birthday Honours List. 

Harjit Sandhu, Managing Director at FODO, said: "Everybody that works with Daniel will know why he has been awarded an MBE for services to optometry. He has shown clinical and scientific leadership and consistently focused on what is best for patients across the UK. We congratulate Daniel for his dedication and service to optometry." 

LOCSU appoints new chair

LOCSU has announced the appointment of Dr Joy Tweed as chair of the board from 1 June 2022.

Dr Joy Tweed said: "I am delighted to take up this role. My career began as an ophthalmic nurse at Moorfields Eye Hospital. Although I left nursing to pursue a career in the voluntary sector and then academia, I have maintained a strong interest in eye care.

"This was reinforced in recent years when I developed a serious eye condition (picked up by an optometrist) and then in 2017 when I was appointed as chair of the Lay Advisory Group of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists."

Joy is an experienced non-executive director (NED) who has continuously served on various boards in the healthcare sector since 2002. Her current NED roles are on the Academy of Healthcare Science/Registration Council of Clinical Physiologists (RCCP) and trustee of St Raphael's Hospice in Cheam, Surrey.

Read more. 

Engage in eye care practices research

Academics at ARU are looking into understanding the promotion of physical activity within eyecare and developing interventions which support eyecare professionals by providing physical activity advice. Learn more and get involved. 

Community optometry urged to go green

In Wales, the government is urging primary care to start the "journey to environmental sustainability and decarbonisation with a new award scheme". The Greener Primary Care Wales Framework and Award Scheme from Public Health Wales has been designed to help independent primary care contractors, including community optometry, improve the environmental sustainability of their daily practice. 

Eluned Morgan MS, Minister for Health and Social Services, who is launching the scheme, said: "I would urge GP practices, community pharmacies, dental surgeries and optometry practices to register with the Greener Primary Care Framework and Award Scheme. In joining the scheme, you will be part of a growing network of healthcare professionals committed to building greener practice into everyday decision-making." 

Public Health Wales has thanked Optometry Wales and Welsh Optometric Committee for their support. 

Other sector news

The General Optical Council (GOC) has announced that Marcus Dye will be leaving the organisation following seven years of service. Read more.

NHS England encourages primary care colleague?to join an informative online event on 30 June. The event presents an opportunity to hear about current, dedicated health and wellbeing support available to everybody working across primary care.

The GOC is interested in your feedback on its FtP Focus bulletin. Learn more and have your say to make sure you get the most out of this resource in the future.

Genetic and clinical NIH research reveals a new type of macular dystrophy.

An NIH study on the benefit of supplements for slowing age-related macular degeneration shows that switching formulas from beta-carotene to lutein and zeaxanthin is the right choice, says the lead researcher.

The 2022 edition of ACLM's product manual has now been published. It lists technical details for contact lenses and solutions and covers most products available in the UK. It is a handy reference for contact lens practitioners, and an online version supports it. Read more. 

Health policy update

Integrated Care Boards
Under the Health and Care Act 2022, 42 Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) will be established on 1 July 2022 in England. Each ICB will have a constitution setting out the organisation's board membership and governance arrangements. NHS England will bring these constitutions into effect.

NHS England has also published a letter setting out plans to delegate commissioning functions to Integrated Care Systems (run by ICBs). As in previous FODO updates, there will be no change to how GOS is commissioned.

Health and social care review: leadership for a collaborative and inclusive future
General Sir Gordon Messenger and Dame Linda Pollard have published a report on leadership across health and social care in England. It makes the following seven recommendations:

1. Targeted interventions on collaborative leadership and organisational values
2. Positive equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) action
3. Consistent management standards delivered through accredited training
4. A simplified, standard appraisal system for the NHS
5. A new career and talent management function for managers
6. Effective recruitment and development of non-executive directors (NEDs)
7. Encouraging top talent into challenged parts of the system

The government has accepted the seven recommendations. A plan to implement the recommendations will follow the report's publication.