04 October 2024

FODO member update – 4 October

This week:

• Scottish Government offers 6% uplift to primary eye care
• Important GOC updates
• Royal College of Ophthalmology president continues campaign
• Service issues in Wales continue
• Updated contracts of employment
• At a glance
• Health policy news

Scottish Government offers 6% uplift to primary eye care

Optometry Scotland (OS) has confirmed that the Scottish Government has proposed a 6% uplift to all NHS primary eye care fees, backdated to 1 April 2024. OS will now consult the sector on the proposal.

This would be the fourth consecutive annual increase since 2021, following the sector backing the plan for primary eye care fee increases to align with recommendations made by the Doctors' and Dentists' Pay Review Body (DDRB).   

Important GOC updates

The GOC has confirmed that

• new Standards of Practice for Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians, Standards for Optical Students, and Standards for Optical Businesses, will come into effect on 1 January 2025
• it has completed its review of business regulation and will now consult on reforms to make the system a more level playing field. The consultation is expected to start on 31 October.

Read more and learn how to get involved in FODO's response to the GOC consultation on changes to business regulation.  

Royal College of Ophthalmology president continues campaign

In its latest policy roundup, the college promotes an article in The Ophthalmologist on the private health impact on NHS eye surgery. The article reiterates news shared by the college and its president, including repeating claims that an extra 200,000 people per year are having a cataract operation in England, a 40% increase from pre-pandemic. It also reshares a CHPI survey which was completed by a small proportion of Royal College members. 

Service issues in Wales continue

Debates in the Senedd have highlighted the pressure ophthalmology departments are under and the lack of support people with vision loss receive. Meanwhile the latest ophthalmology outpatient data in Wales show 51% of patients were waiting beyond their target time for an ophthalmology appointment, putting them at risk of sight loss. 

Updated contracts of employment

The FODO HR team has updated model employment contracts for 2024. Members can access them here. If you have any questions about the model contract, or any other HR or health and safety issue, please contact [email protected] or call 01244 688422. 

At a glance

• ASDA Opticians adds new way for patients to get eye care advice and support from RNIB. Read more.
• Webinar to promote CUES. Primary Eyecare Services will share how NHS commissioners can make best use of Community Urgent Eyecare Services (CUES) to improve services and outcomes. Dharmesh Patel, Chief Executive Officer, Primary Eyecare, and Louisa Wickham National Clinical Director for Eye Care, NHS England, will make up the panel.  
• SightCare wins Service Excellence Award at INSPIRE Business Awards 2024. Read more.  
• Eilidh Thomson succeeds Julie Mosgrove as chair of Optometry Scotland. Read more.
• NHS National Services Scotland has confirmed that, following no objections, it will start decommissioning its legacy GOS claim image storage platform. Read more. 

Health policy news

Patient safety strategy in primary care
NHS England has published Implementation of the NHS patient safety strategy in primary care. 

This relates to implementing the NHS Patient Safety Strategy (2019), the first national strategy for improving patient safety, in primary care settings, where NHS England acknowledges the need for a "more specific interpretation for primary care."

It also confirms this "is not a contractual requirement on primary care providers, or integrated care boards (ICBs)".  Recognising growing pressures in primary care, it also states the strategy "seeks to continuously improve patient safety through existing processes and structures as much as possible, rather than adding work".

The plan is to focus on GPs first and then use lessons to roll out to dentistry, pharmacy and optometry. Considering significant real-terms cuts to GOS funding, FODO is discussing this with sector partners and will keep members up to date. If you have any questions, please email [email protected].

Pressures continue to grow in primary care
Healthwatch has said that the crisis in pharmacy continues to worsen as more practices close. Read more

The Royal College of GPs has raised concerns about 'devastating inequalities' caused by access to GPs. It warns that due to decades of underfunding, primary care patients in poorer areas - who tend to have more complex health issues - are more likely to face barriers to accessing care.