Primary eye care has long been able to deliver a wide range of NHS care outside hospitals, including diagnosis, treatment, follow‐up to surgery, and the co‐management of long‐term conditions. Through NHS England’s National Eye Care Recovery and Transformation Programme, commissioners are being encouraged to take advantage of the full range of clinical expertise and infrastructure …
Continue reading “Optometry First – Call to Action”
11 February 2022
This is your invitation to our live CPD webinar event for our SpaMedica Accredited Partner Programme. The CPD webinar will be streamed live and is open to all community optometrists. SpaMedica is registered with the GOC as a CPD provider and you’ll receive two interactive CPD points for attending our SpaMedica Cataract Post-Op Accreditation session. Access details for …
Continue reading “SpaMedica Cataract Post-Op Accreditation”
8 February 2022
The new continuing professional development (CPD) cycle has started. Like CET the newly launched CPD is points-based and runs over a three-year cycle, with the current cycle running from the start of this year until 31 December 2024. To support implementation and delivery of extended primary care pathways, LOCSU works with WOPEC to offer training courses, …
Continue reading “LOCSU Helps With Your Continuing Professional Development as New CPD Cycle Starts”
1 February 2022
The Royal Berkshire Hospital Trust will be switching off the existing fax number for this service on the 1st of February 2022. From this date, please send all urgent referrals for suspected Wet AMD via email including with your patient data the following information: The date the patient was seen by the Optom Duration of symptoms/incidental finding Specify if the patient is …
Continue reading “New Urgent Referral Details – Wet AMD”
21 January 2022
WOPEC and LOCSU are holding another free virtual peer discussion around LOCSU’s clinical pathways on Monday 7th February starting at 6.30pm. It is 90 minutes long and has 3 CET points. This event is provided for Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians represented by LOCs across England. Virtual peer discussion comprising three clinical cases …
Continue reading “LOCSU Clinical Pathways – virtual peer discussion – 7 February 2022”
17 January 2022
Offer of free personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline health and care staff extended until 31 March 2023 From: Department of Health and Social Care: Published 13 January 2022 Move follows public consultation, which received over 5,000 responses from across the health and care system Easier way of centrally ordering PPE to be tested by …
Continue reading “Free PPE for frontline extended for another year”
14 January 2022
As you may have heard the Health Secretary has announced that the required period for self-isolation following a Covid exposure in England was now seven rather than 10 days (subject to negative lateral flow results on days six and seven). UKHSA has confirmed this guidance also applies to healthcare workers, although when going back into …
Continue reading “Period of Self-Isolation Following Covid Exposure”
12 January 2022
NHSE are currently in talks about looking to provide funding for Optometrists to complete the Independent Prescribing (IP) course. They are putting a case together and would like to gauge interest ASAP. The course will start at the end of January (face-to-face or virtual TBC). Places are limited (Approx 10 places for the whole of the South-East). …
Continue reading “Independent Prescribing – Expression of Interest”
26 December 2021
As an Optometrist with Visioncall your role is very different from the norm in retail practice. You will have clinical freedom and the variation of getting out and about visiting patients, mainly within care home environments. With no evening or weekend working, you will be accompanied by an experienced Dispensers who will support you throughout …
Continue reading “Visioncall Resident Optometrist Role”
22 December 2021
NHS confirms that GOS will remain a national service when the Health and Care Bill becomes law General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) in England will remain a national demand-led service under a nationally agreed GOS contract and nationally negotiated fees and grants, with no local variation. This was confirmed by the Department of Health and Social …
Continue reading “GOS Statement”
22 December 2021
The theme of this year’s NOC conference is ‘Leadership in a time of change’ and we are delighted to kick it off with a dynamic note keynote speech from Professor Sally Lewis.
29 April 2025
Registration for the National Optical Conference 2025 (NOC25) is due to close at midday on Friday 25 April 2025 – make sure to register now to avoid missing out!
17 April 2025
for updates from Berkshire LOC