England

Read the England Health and Care Bill here.

Results from a CCEHC survey highlight the need to review commissioning and provision of low vision services to deliver more accessible and integrated care for patients in England.

The Clinical Council for Eye Health Commissioning (CCEHC) which represents the major clinical professions and sight loss charity organisations in the eye-care sector, has conducted a survey on the commissioning and provision of low vision assessment services in England.

The survey was conducted for five weeks from 5th April 2021 to gain an understanding of the impact of the pandemic on low vision assessment services between April 2020 – March 2021. The survey showed that prior to the pandemic, there was variation in the use of service specifications, protocols and thresholds for low vision assessment.  Since the pandemic service provision has been challenging, with deployed clinical staff, patients and some practitioners shielding, and lower clinic numbers to maintain distancing. This has been associated with a significant fall in certifications of visual impairment during lockdown periods.

You can read the survey results here.

Based on these findings, the CCEHC makes the following recommendations, and calls for low vision services to be included in system recovery and transformation planning:

Manage low vision assessment backlogs by:

• risk assessment of patients waiting to prioritise those in greatest need.
• triage to interim support by another part of the system.
• aiming to clear backlogs within 6 months.

Review existing low vision service provision (demand and capacity), protocols and pathways to:

• scope potential for more integrated services
• incorporate remote consultations for prioritisation and follow-up as appropriate e.g., patient initiated follow up, access to advice and guidance, review to check managing with existing aids/ new requirements.
• ensure there is domiciliary provision for those that require it.
• ensure Eye Clinic Liaison Officers are core members of the low vision service team and link across primary, community, hospital and social care.
• include provision of information on digital assistive aids (e.g., digital magnifiers) and signposting to IT courses for those who are visually challenged.

Develop service specifications and quality standards for integrated low vision care as part of a whole systems approach to:

• ensure consistent access and availability of services.
• offer a choice (where possible or appropriate) making optimal use of primary, community, local authority and hospital services.
• provide processes for governance, audit, engagement, service improvement, and review of services provided.
• identify a dedicated (ring fenced) low vision budget that can be accessed system wide (primary, secondary and tertiary) to ensure a sustainable service.

Ms Parul Desai, CCEHC Chair commented, “Many providers have tried to ensure safe services and looked to innovative solutions. The learning from COVID-19 is already changing the way some low vision services are delivered.  We encourage all commissioners and providers of eye health services to review their current low vision assessment service provision, particularly use of remote consultations for pre-assessment review and follow up /monitoring; and their processes for ensuring equitable access to services meeting consistent standards of care. The development of more integrated low vision services has significant benefits for patients, practitioners and organisations across health and social care. The CCEHC will be considering further phases of work to monitor progress.#2

Debbie McGill, Head of Policy and Public Affairs for ABDO said, “We were pleased to be involved in this piece of work and ask that NHSE consider the findings with a view to deliver a national low vision service in England to provide our ageing population with the eye care support they need, close to their homes. Dispensing opticians are well placed in optical practices to provide this care and advice.”

25 March 2021

The Department of Health and Social Care has said  it will increase GOS sight test fees by 1.9 per cent from April 2021. The GOS CET allowances and pre-registration supervision grants will also rise by the same percentage.

The fees for GOS sight tests in England were last increased in April 2015 by 1per cent. Since then the sector has seen five consecutive years with no fee increase, while contractors’ costs have continued to rise.

The OFNC had pressed for urgent action to address the widening gap between NHS sight test fees and inflation, and the relative underfunding of primary eye care compared to other NHS care.

Paul Carroll, OFNC Chair, said: “The 1.9 per cent increase, welcome though it is, does not fully address the erosion of GOS fees by inflation in recent years.”

“After 5 years without any increase to reflect the rising costs of care, a 1.9 per cent increase in GOS fees now will understandably disappoint a loyal and hard-working sector, which has gone the extra mile in keeping eye care services running over the past year when hospital care was often just not available. Nevertheless, we take it as a signal that the Government and NHS England have at last understood the value of primary eye care and the need to move towards fairer treatment of GOS contractors in the future.”

“We hope this is the first small step on a journey to a properly funded national sight-testing infrastructure to help meet growing eye health need, focus on prevention and deliver more care outside hospital closer to home.”

Read the OFNC response letter here

Read the Department of Health and Social care letter here

Read the OFNC case for increase here

29 October 2019

Yesterday Primary Care Support England (PCSE) launched the online Ophthalmic Payment service, which is now live. This means that all users of the PCSE Online service can now submit GOS 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 forms online.

The full service, has also incorporated feedback from their early adopter users, to deliver even better functionality. This includes the auto population of claim values in GOS3 vouchers based on prescription entered, which will greatly improve the accuracy of claims.

PCSE will also be introducing some additional enhancements over the coming weeks, as a result of early adopter feedback including:

• extending the time out on the signature capture on GOS claims
• allowing a Performer to create a GOS3 once they have signed the declaration on a GOS1, which improves the workflow as they don’t need to wait until the GOS 1 has been submitted.

They expect to have these upgrades deployed by mid-November.

Updated User Guides will also be available for all GOS forms soon. These will include step by step instructions on submitting GOS4s, PVNs and GOS6s, and updated information on GOS1, GOS3 and GOS5. You can find out more via their website.

If you have any questions, please do get in touch with the team via pcse.optomengagement@nhs.net

ABDO, as part of the Optical Confederation, are still engaged with PCSE and NHS England regarding the cut-off date for submission of paper claims and we will keep our members informed regarding this and other updates.

Regional Lead: Abi Page FBDO
Email apage@abdoregions.org.uk

Local Leads

Natasha Beckwood FBDO

Jayshree Vasani FBDO

Ian Anderson FBDO

Email your local lead using the format initialsurname@abdoregions.org.uk