21 February 2025

FODO member update - 21 February

This week:

• Peer-review CPD network
• A new way to bring you news
• Sector responds to the Spending Review
• Enhanced services decommissioned in England region
• College and RAC ramp up campaign to tackle headlight glare
• At a glance
• Policy news

Peer-review CPD network

FODO will trial a new peer-review CPD network this year. If you are a GOC registrant and the CEO, practice owner, head of education or head of professional services at your organisation, please email [email protected] to express an interest in participating in this trial.
 
The events will be free for FODO members, earn you GOC CPD points, and cover topics in a context that's helpful for your role in your organisation. 

A new way to bring you news

Last year, we advised all members we would be changing how we share news in 2025. Over the next few months, the FODO Group will be finalising a new website, bringing you eye care and audiology news from across the UK and Ireland. In March/April, we will reduce the frequency of email updates while focusing more resources on the new website. Therefore, you will receive updates on the following dates:

• 28 February
• 21 March
• 25 April

 We will, of course, email you with any urgent updates between these dates.

Sector responds to the Spending Review

The OFNC and the College of Optometrists have responded to the government's spending review and called for more patients to be able to access care closer to home and fairer funding for primary care.

The OFNC submission highlights how the NHS in England pays half of what providers in Scotland and Wales are paid for an NHS sight test, resulting in a funding shortfall in England that exceeds £260m per year. Read the full OFNC response.

FODO members who want to discuss the OFNC's work and NHS finances in England can email [email protected].   

Enhanced services decommissioned in England region

Despite the government's commitment to three big shifts, including hospital to community and sickness to prevention, an ICB in Hampshire has decided to decommission most of its enhanced primary eye care services from 1 April 2025.
 
The services are currently delivered via PES. Hampshire LOC reports that despite positive feedback from patients and all services running effectively and efficiently, the ICB has decided, based on financial pressures, to decommission the enhanced cataract referral service, post-op cataract service, glaucoma referral refinement, glaucoma enhanced referral service, glaucoma monitoring service and West Hants enhanced triage. The ICB has extended CUES for six months while considering its plans for this service.
 
FODO director Alan Tinger said: "FODO members will have invested significant resources in workforce and local practices to meet this need. This latest news again highlights the very real risk that the NHS will fail to deliver the government's three big shifts unless it prioritises primary care investment.
 
"Therefore, the OFNC has called on HM Treasury to ensure the government's goals are delivered by following Darzi's recommendation to change funding flows. NHS commissioners too often prioritise hospital spending, but we know this model is not sustainable. The King's Fund recently noted that there had already been three decades of policy implementation failure in moving care closer to home. Sadly, the latest news in Hampshire indicates history might continue to repeat itself until the centre drives sustainable change to how NHS care is provided. In the meantime, the decision in Hampshire will benefit from a review under safeguards within the Provider Selection Regime."

College and RAC ramp up campaign to tackle headlight glare

The latest research in the College of Optometrists and RAC campaign to tackle headlight glare has found that 61% of people who suffer from it say the problem has worsened in just 12 months. With 280 reported collisions involving dazzling headlights, the organisations are raising awareness to help tackle the issue. Read more.

At a glance

• Scottish Government says it has exceeded its pledge to cut waiting times, including an almost 15% decrease in ophthalmology waits.
• New presbyopia resource hub by WCO to support eye care practitioners. 
• The Ophthalmologist reports on using non-invasive retinal biomarkers to predict incident stroke risk in patients. 
• Optical sector reflects on National Apprenticeship Week in the Optician.
• ABDO reports on a new play service for babies with vision impairments. ?? 
• Moorfields Eye Charity welcomes £3m boost for research into children's eye health.
• EssilorLuxottica's hearing specs achieve FDA and EU approval. Learn more.

Policy news

• The Professional Standards Authority (PSA) has launched its consultation on Standards for regulators and accredited registers. FODO will review this on members' behalf. If you would like to get involved, please email [email protected].    
• Penny Dash was named the government's preferred candidate for the next chair of NHS England.   
• Kathy Oxtoby reports on the challenges of shifting care from hospital to community.  
• Future NHS will decommission the Eye Care Hub. A new Eye Care Community of Practice will replace the hub as a space for people working in eye care to "share and discuss ideas".