27 January 2023

FODO member update – 27 January

This week:

• Two universities first to meet GOCs new ETR
• No political appetite yet to end enhanced services postcode lottery in England
• Action EeRS - North East and Yorkshire
• Job opportunity - Teesside University
• Other sector news
• Policy news

Two universities first to meet GOCs new ETR

The GOC has approved the first two universities - Ulster and Cardiff - to replace their current qualifications with new Master of Optometry undergraduate programmes in line with the new Education and Training Requirements (ETR). Read more.
 
David Hewlett, FODO director, said: "Congratulations to Ulster and Cardiff for being first off the blocks. Students, too, can be reassured that there will be good and rewarding jobs available for the foreseeable future for all optometrists irrespective of their route to registration. We are working hard with the GOC, universities and College of Optometrists to ensure sufficient practice placements continue for all students under existing and new arrangements." 

No political appetite yet to end enhanced services postcode lottery in England

It seems that, for now, patients in England will continue to experience a postcode lottery when it comes to equitable access to enhanced primary eye care services.
 
In response to a parliamentary question (PQ) about adding MECS to the core primary eye care contract to reduce pressure on GPs and A&E, Neil O'Brien, parliamentary under-secretary at the DHSC, said ICBs were responsible for commissioning "locally enhanced services, such as minor eye conditions services, from primary eye care providers". 
 
On a more positive note, he also reconfirmed that NHS England was still considering "what eye care services can be safely moved out of hospital and into the community to ease ophthalmology pressures".
 
The FODO policy team always welcomes feedback from members from all parts of the UK about your vision for eye care, including your feedback on this latest PQ. Please email [email protected] and share your plans and hopes for the future. 

Action EeRS - North East and Yorkshire

Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Airedale NHS Foundation Trust have plans to use a new Eye Care Electronic Referral System (EeRS) from March onwards. Primary eye care providers are invited to attend a demonstration session covering how to use the system and to ask questions about EeRS. The sessions will run on 2, 6 and 14 February at 7pm. You can join any of these sessions by using this Zoom link.
 
Members can also contact us with feedback/questions about this or IT connectivity in general by emailing [email protected] using the subject 'EeRS Yorkshire'. 

Job opportunity - Teesside University

Teesside University is recruiting for a lecturer in clinical optometry. The application process closes on 5 February 2023. Read more about the role, view the job description and apply. 

Other sector news

BBC reports concerns raised by opposition parties in Wales about proposed cuts to NHS patient benefits which help people purchase spectacles.
 
This week Public Health Wales published Cost of living crisis: a public health emergency. The report says that almost a quarter of the population has been living in poverty for the last decade. It also warns people in Wales are likely to "be worse affected by the cost of living crisis" because the country already has higher levels of poverty than the rest of the UK.
 
Reminder - GOC is looking to appoint two new associates. You must be a fully qualified optometrist or dispensing optician. The deadline for applications is 19 February 2023. Learn more and apply. 
 
PCSE Online has confirmed that almost 98% of GOS forms in England are now submitted online. However, it still receives 24,000 GOS paper claims a month, with a large proportion (31%) of these still being rejected. The main reasons for rejecting paper claims include contractors not completing the evidence of eligibility section correctly and not including appropriate codes for early retests.
 
College of Optometrist Patient Leaflets input sought. The College is asking members for feedback on changes to its patient leaflets. Take part.

Researchers at Moorfields develop criteria for diagnosing optic neuritis, a common cause of vision loss. Read more.

Royal College of Ophthalmology - 2023 Clinical Impact Awards round will open for applications with a window of eight weeks starting from March 2023. Read more.
 
The Optician reports on a Specsavers survey of 2,000 people, which shows 73% of UK adults were concerned about their finances and 34% were unsure if they could afford to prioritise their health and wellbeing. This included people reporting the need to cut back on eye care in 2023. 

Policy news

The new PSR. NHS England will host a series of webinars on the new Provider Selection Regime (PSR) for decision-makers in local ICBs. If you happen to attend an event, please note that GOS is a core primary care contract in England and will not be affected or commissioned differently under the new PSR even though individual contracts will be held at ICB level rather than by NHS England. However, the PSR will help inform decisions when it comes to locally commissioned enhanced eye care services such as MECS and CUES.
 
DHSC reports on spending on GOS. In response to a parliamentary question, the DHSC has confirmed it spent £542m on GOS in England in 2021-22. This included £307m on NHS sight tests, £222 million on patient benefits (vouchers), and £13m on other GOS contract costs such as CET and pre-reg grants.
 
Independent Sector Providers (ISPs) consultation update. Members in England who hold a provider licence for non- primary eye care services might wish to respond directly to an NHS England consultation on the draft updated risk assessment framework and reporting manual for independent sector providers of NHS services. The consultation runs until 22 February. Learn more.