25 November 2022

FODO member update – 25 November

This week:

• Impacts of inflation on primary eye care
• CPD
• Last days to join GOC Companies Committee
• Concerns about NHS England's special school initiative
• LOCSU launches two new clinical pathways
• GOS applications update - England
• Other sector news
• Health policy update

Impacts of inflation on primary eye care

We are hearing from a growing number of members about the pressures inflation and current economic conditions are having on primary eye care across the UK, on top of the long-standing underfunding of the NHS sight test.

We discuss all concerns with sector partners and work together to ensure the NHS and other decision-makers understand what is happening and the risks posed - including jeopardising the essential primary eye care infrastructure on which the NHS depends to meet growing needs.  

Please keep sending your feedback to [email protected] to support this action. 

CPD

As we approach the end of the calendar year, it is essential that GOC registrants are up to date on CPD requirements. 

Remember to take full advantage of the funded CPD where you live. Learn more.

Finally, feedback indicates a gap in the type of CPD that members would like to see. In response, we are creating our own CPD offering for 2023. In the meantime, if you are a FODO member and are having problems accessing appropriate CPD this year, please email [email protected] to see how we can help. 

Last days to join GOC Companies Committee

The GOC is recruiting for three new members to join its Companies Committee, which advises and assists on matters regarding GOC business registrants.

The role requires a time commitment of two to four days a year with remuneration of £319 a day. Meetings will usually take place online via Microsoft Teams. FODO members have a great deal to offer for the good of patients and the sector. The deadline for applications is 27 November. Learn more and apply. 

Concerns about NHS England's special school initiative

This week, Professor Kathyrn Saunders, a subject matter expert on paediatric eye care at Ulster University, has expressed concerns about NHS England's plan to restrict its special schools' eye care service to those attending residential schools. Read her blog.

This follows a joint sector-wide letter, supported by FODO, to the secretary of state for health and social care and NHS England chief executive calling for reform of eye care for young people with learning disabilities.  
 
Parents of children and young people who attend special schools have now started a petition to call on the government to fund sustainable eye care for these groups. 

LOCSU launches two new clinical pathways

LOCSU has published a new Integrated Dry Eye Disease (DED) pathway and a Naevus Referral Filtering and Monitoring pathway. Learn more about these two new pathways. 

GOS applications update - England

In a follow-up to our 28 October update about NHSBSA's technical problems with GOS applications, we are pleased to inform members that these have been resolved. You can now revert to emailing [email protected]. 

Other sector news

Presenting at this week's Eye Health and Visual Impairment All Party Parliamentary Group meeting, Professor Rupert Bourne announced that the UK National Eye Health and Hearing Study had received funding to start a pilot of 1,000 patients in a single Integrated Care Board in England. We will keep members up to date when more detail is published.

The World Council of Optometry (WCO) and Alcon have launched online education resources on dry eye. These include on-demand webinars and tools to help in practice. Learn more.

You can still participate in the Vision Atlas Survey before the end of November. The Vision Atlas shares a range of indicators across eye health and care, providing information on service activity and availability.
 
The College of Optometrists has announced the outcome of its research excellence awards which recognise outstanding work in optometric science and vision. Winners include Professor Bernard Gilmartin FCOptom and Professor Shahina Pardhan MCOptom. Read more.

Fight for Sight says genetics combined with long years of schooling can lead to myopia in children. Read more

LOCSU, in partnership with WOPEC, is running CPD events that will attract three interactive provider-led peer review points.

• Session 1: 6 December 2022, 6.30pm-8pm. Book here.
• Session 2: 7 February 2023, 6.30pm-8pm. Book here.

Other LOCSU training opportunities. LOCSU training and education is funded by levy payers in England so do promote these opportunities within your organisation. 

Health policy update

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists has responded to the parliamentary inquiry into backlogs and waiting times by highlighting the benefits of service transformation, including "increased integration of primary care optometrists".

The AOP has called for a 12.5% uplift to voucher values across the UK based on feedback from its members and public survey - read more. Voucher values are a devolved matter, which means each UK government sets its contribution to support people eligible for a voucher. Voucher values are not negotiated by the sector but set by the government, along with reviews of other benefits. Access current voucher values and read FODO's early statement on the proposal to cut patient benefits in Wales.
 
The Department of Health and Social Care has confirmed that former health secretary Patricia Hewitt will lead a review into the oversight of newly established Integrated Care Systems in England. The review will look at improving outcomes for populations and overall system design, including performance management and the role of national bodies like NHS England and the CQC.

The Scottish Government (SG) has put planned primary care improvements on pause until a budget review occurs. Although the article does not mention primary eye care specifically, the SG pause appears to apply universally as it is driven by the impact of inflation and a potentially large public sector budget deficit.