OFNC Statement on GOS contract management functions
2 August 2021
23 July 2021
GOS CONTRACT MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS TO MOVE TO INTEGRATED CARE BOARDS FROM APRIL 2022
NHS England has confirmed to the OFNC that General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) will remain a national contract with terms, fees and grants continuing to be negotiated nationally.
The Health and Care Bill, currently before Parliament, will change NHS commissioning structures in England, including the establishment of new Integrated Care Boards (ICBs).
NHS England has announced plans to transfer all primary care contract management functions from NHS England to ICBs from April 2022.
This means ICBs will hold the contracts instead of NHS England regional teams. It will not affect how the GOS service is delivered; providers will continue to provide a GOS sight testing service as now, and patients will access GOS in the same way.
Commenting on the announcement, OFNC chair Gordon Ilett said: “There is no appetite anywhere in the system for 42 variations of the same GOS sight-testing and case-finding contract. This announcement builds on a constructive meeting OFNC held with NHS England earlier this month which confirmed that, when as anticipated, GOS contact management functions transfer to ICBs, the national GOS contract terms, fees and grants will still be negotiated nationally. This is the most efficient model for both the NHS and contractors and means there will be no material changes for GOS contractors or practitioners.”
He added: “We hope that ICBs will add value by commissioning extended primary eye care services at scale. This will help tackle the unwarranted variation caused by the small footprints of Clinical Commissioning Groups. We will continue to work closely with NHS England and DHSC to ensure the new arrangements work well for contractors, practitioners and above all patients.”
Berkshire LOC Latest News
CHEC – Virtual CPD Event 7th of August
CHEC are holding a ‘suitable for all’ virtual CPD event on the evening of Wednesday August 7th on MS Teams. Please see the details below:
21 July 2024
CANCELLED – Focus on Glaucoma Evening Seminar
Sadly, the Focus on Glaucoma Evening Seminar, hosted by Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust has now been cancelled. Date: 15th of July Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm Venue: Post Graduate Education Centre, Ground Floor, Frimley Park Hospital. Please contact lorraine.north@nhs.net for further information.
10 July 2024
WOPEC MECS Assessment Oxfordshire LOC
DATE: Sunday 11th of August, 2024 VENUE: SpaMedica Oxford Don’t miss the opportunity to become an accredited MECS performer. This is a gentle reminder to book your space now. Oxfordshire LOC will be fully funding a number of spaces on a “first come first serve” basis. To be eligible you must be working in …
Continue reading “WOPEC MECS Assessment Oxfordshire LOC”
28 June 2024
Focus on Glaucoma Seminar – Frimley Health NHS Foundation
Focus on Glaucoma Evening Seminar, hosted by Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust. Date: 15th of July Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm Venue: Post Graduate Education Centre, Ground Floor, Frimley Park Hospital. Please contact lorraine.north@nhs.net to register your interest.
28 June 2024
SpaMedica CPD Training Event
Please see details below of SpaMedica’s next CPD event to be held at their Wokingham hospital on the 31st of July. This event has been awarded 2 CPD points.
22 June 2024
Ophthalmic Community Research – Monday 24th of June
Dear colleagues, This is an initiative between the Eye Research Group Oxford and the College. Please see the details in the flyer below:
21 June 2024
Berkshire Vision – Darts and Curry Fundraiser
Join Berkshire Vision on the 27th June for their Darts and Curry fundraiser. Tickets cost £30 per person and all proceeds from the night will go directly to helping them continue their vital work supporting blind and visually impaired children and adults in the local community. To book your tickets visit the link below or …
Continue reading “Berkshire Vision – Darts and Curry Fundraiser”
30 May 2024
Berkshire LOC and CPD Event
Join us on Wednesday, July 17th, at Wokingham Cricket Club for this event. Hear about current optical developments in Berkshire from LOC Chair, Sean Caskey, and then earn some CPD from the following lectures: Zaid Shalchi: “Managing AMD in the NHS”. Discover the latest advancements, best practices, and strategies for effectively managing age-related macular degeneration …
Continue reading “Berkshire LOC and CPD Event”
29 May 2024
SpaMedica Post-Operative Accreditation Webinar
Cataract Post-Operative Accreditation Webinar Presented by Dr Alex Silvester – Chief Medical Officer 2 CPD Points SpaMedica is currently the number one provider of cataract surgeries for NHS patients in the UK; with Fifty hospitals based across the North West, the Midlands, Yorkshire, the South East and the South West. A key part of our …
Continue reading “SpaMedica Post-Operative Accreditation Webinar”
23 May 2024
Optom event – Retinal Vein Occlusion
You are cordially invited to a CPD event for Optometrists: Topic: Retinal vein occlusion Speaker: Mr Zaid Shalchi, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon Time: 6.00-8.00pm Monday 10 June 2024 Place: Castle Suite, Princess Margaret Hospital, Osborne Road, Windsor SL4 3SJ Free registration with dinner included but book early as capacity is limited. Register at https://bit.ly/rvoforoptoms
21 May 2024