30 June 2023

FODO member update – 30 June

This week:

• GOC call for evidence update
• Pharma giant and leading charity launch new eye health tool
• Glaucoma awareness week
• Wales update on Diabetic Eye Screening
• NHS England publishes workforce plan
• Other sector news

GOC call for evidence update

The GOC has discussed the next steps on its call for evidence on the Opticians Act and associated GOC policies. The GOC Council notes, 'Several workstreams have arisen from these commitments, the most complex being updating the 2013 statement on the testing of sight and developing a new model of business regulation'.
 
The GOC now plans to

• Consult on position statements about the verification of contact lens specifications and spectacle prescriptions and the definition of aftercare this autumn
• Consult on developing a new model for business regulation in spring 2024
• Consult on reviewing GOC standards in dispensing to vulnerable patients and using technology in winter 2024
• Undertake further scoping work on updating the 2013 statement on the testing of sight. The timeline is to be confirmed.

Once the above priorities are addressed, the GOC will also consult on other technical but less urgent issues, including the definition of low vision, the wording of protected titles, and regulations regarding criteria for visual impairment.
 
The GOC has said it is likely to be some years before legislation can be reformed 'with a consultation from the DHSC on GOC legislation anticipated no later than 2026-2027, subject to external events'.
 
FODO director David Hewlett said: "FODO continues to work with members, sector partners and the GOC on these issues. Consulting widely and taking time to get these issues right is the correct approach, as regulatory change will affect the sector for many years. Please contact us if you have views on any of these issues." 

Pharma giant and leading charity launch new eye health tool

Pharma giant Roche and the RNIB have launched an Eye Level dashboard to improve the delivery of local eye health services.
 
The dashboard aims to highlight variations in population demographics, service delivery, and strategic priorities for sub-national health systems in the UK.

Roche said it hopes the dashboard will enable regional comparisons and spark wider conversations on potential influencers of regional variation and how to support equity in access to eye care services nationally. 

Glaucoma awareness week

Glaucoma awareness took place this week and focused on the personal experiences of people living with glaucoma.
 
Glaucoma UK produced assets to mark the week and  LOCSU published a case study to raise awareness about how enhanced eye care pathways in primary care can help support people with glaucoma in England. Giles Edmonds, clinical services director at Specsavers, called for more of these services to be commissioned "to help save sight".
 
Daniel Hodgson, FODO head of policy and public affairs, said: "Current glaucoma services across the UK are patchy; patients continue to suffer long waits for hospital diagnosis and follow-ups and sadly often lose their sight. Addressing this should be a priority for all health systems in the UK as set out in Principles and priorities for primary eye care." 

Wales update on Diabetic Eye Screening

The Welsh Government minister for health and social services has agreed that Public Health Wales should change the screening interval for participants with a low risk of diabetic retinopathy to every two years. Read more. 

NHS England publishes workforce plan

The long-awaited NHS Workforce Plan for England has been published today. The plan sets out three priority areas:

• Train - significantly increase education and training numbers, including apprenticeships and alternative routes into professional roles
• Retain - support staff throughout their careers so they continue to work in the NHS
• Reform - change how people are trained and free up clinician time with technology. 

The BBC said the plan includes a 'major expansion in training places for healthcare staff in England' and that 'more university places for medical and nursing students and a greater emphasis on apprenticeships with the first ever scheme for doctors'.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak and NHS England chief executive Amanda Pritchard said the plan would double medical school places by 2031/32, almost double nursing places and increase GP trainee places by 50%.  They also said: "In the next five years, the proportion of NHS staff [...] trained through apprenticeships - combining paid work with study and no tuition fees - will double."
 
The plan sets a target to provide 22% of all training for clinical staff through apprenticeship routes by 2031/32 and states this will help 'widen access to opportunities for people from all backgrounds and in underserved areas to join the NHS.' The plan includes training 2,000 medical students through a new medical degree apprenticeship.
 
FODO's policy team will analyse the workforce plan in detail on the members' and the wider sector's behalf. They will also work with members to manage the impacts on the potential eye care workforce in the future.
 
Read the full workforce plan.
Read the workforce plan letter.
Read the College of Optometrist response. 

Other sector news

The chief optometric adviser to the Welsh Government, David O'Sullivan, has shared his views on proposed eye care reforms in Wales. The AOP has challenged plans to cut patient benefits and the risk of reforms, as they stand, pose to domiciliary services. FODO and its members have already responded to the Welsh Government with clear positions on all aspects of proposed reforms.
 
The College of Optometrists reports on an optometrist spotting a detached retina and referring a BBC newsreader for sight-saving care.
 
BIOS has launched its 2023-28 strategy focusing on workforce training, development and retention. Read more.
 
NHS England reports that the National Care Records Service will replace the Summary Care Record application when it closes at the end of September 2023. It said the new 'free, web-based service has been specially designed for better internet-first connectivity, making it more compatible with mobile devices in modern healthcare settings'. Read more.
 
In addition to next steps on the call for evidence, the GOC Council at its public meeting on 28 June 2023 also

• Discussed developing its 2025-30 strategy 'Shaping the Future' which will replace its current plan 'Fit for the Future 2020-25'
• Decided not to change its existing policy on DBS checks, which means GOC will still not require applicants to the register or existing registrants to provide a DBS check. This is pending further work from the Professional Standards Authority to ensure all policies remain aligned
• Reviewed its sector-wide analysis of education provider programmes for 2021-22 which found that the pass rate for optometrist courses remains high, but it has fallen significantly for DO courses. IP pass rates remain high and the attainment rate for CLO has increased.

Read more about the latest Council meeting