Covid and Flu Jabs
25 September 2023
A Joint Statement from the College, AOP, FODO and ABDO can be found HERE advising that the Flu and COVID autumn vaccine programmes are being brought forward as a precautionary measure following the identification of a new COVID-19 variant. The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised that frontline healthcare workers should be offered a COVID-19 booster vaccine in autumn 2023.
Regarding Influenza, the statement advises “Practices (contractors) should make arrangements with their local pharmacy or occupational health provider so that all members of the practice team have access to the influenza (seasonal flu) vaccination in a timely manner. Sector bodies have called on NHS England to fund this and will continue to do so, but at this stage contractors and locums will have to fund this directly.”
As with any period of increasing infection, it is important to support team members to maintain high standards of infection control procedures and minimise the risk posed by infection control complacency.
Buckinghamshire LOC Latest News
Cessation of Bucks Ophthalmology Out of Hours cover for MKUK / BLMK
Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (BHT) has asked us to remind practitioners that, effective from 4th November 2024, BHT and specifically Eye Casualty at Stoke Mandeville will no longer accept any urgent or out of hours referrals from Milton Keynes University Hospital (A&E or Urgent Care Services), or any other emergency / out of hours referrals …
Continue reading “Cessation of Bucks Ophthalmology Out of Hours cover for MKUK / BLMK”
6 November 2024
Cataract Post-op Portal
As of June 2024, patients attending for cataract surgery at BHT will be given a printed letter to take their optometrist when attending the post-op refraction appointment. The letter will have their unique PIN code and a link to the secure Medisight Portal. This is to enable BHT to collect post-op visual acuity and refractive …
Continue reading “Cataract Post-op Portal”
2 July 2024
AGM 2024 Update
The nominal date and time for our AGM was 8.00 pm on 18th April. Like last year, no physical meeting was held; instead, AGM papers were posted on our website and all on our database were given the opportunity to pose questions, nominate committee members and vote for resolutions, online. Three existing committee members, Ahmed …
Continue reading “AGM 2024 Update”
10 May 2024
Buckinghamshire Community Ophthalmology Service Update
The Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust (BHT) Community Ophthalmology Service has now been running for 6 months, having taken over provision of this service from Operose Health. All patients transferred from Operose to the new BHT Community Ophthalmology Service (COS) who were due an appointment up to now have been offered a face to face appointment. …
Continue reading “Buckinghamshire Community Ophthalmology Service Update”
9 May 2024
AGM 2024
The 2024 AGM of Buckinghamshire Local Optical Committee will be at 8.00pm on the evening of 18th April. Like last year, we won’t be holding a physical meeting; instead you will have the opportunity to pose questions, nominate and vote for committee members, and vote for the resolutions, online. Papers will be posted on this …
7 April 2024
New general ophthalmic services (GOS) fees for 2024/25
From 1 April 2024, there is new guidance setting out fees for general ophthalmic services, including: NHS sight test fee and NHS domiciliary fees NHS optical voucher values continuing education and training payment for 2023, payable in 2024 grant payable to supervisors of pre-registration trainees You can read the guidance here in full. The new fee structure has been updated in …
Continue reading “New general ophthalmic services (GOS) fees for 2024/25”
5 April 2024
Bucks EeRS – activation of Summary Care Records on REGO
Bucks practitioners using EeRS will have seen an upgrade feature on the REGO referral system which will allow a patient’s summary care record to be attached to your referral. Hospital consultants have requested this feature, to provide better care and treatment of your patients and to speed up the triage process of referrals. As with …
Continue reading “Bucks EeRS – activation of Summary Care Records on REGO”
18 January 2024
Important Update: Buckinghamshire Community Ophthalmology Service
We are pleased to advise that we are now starting to book clinics for the Buckinghamshire Healthcare Community Ophthalmology service. As a result of the delays to the commencement of the new service, we are partnering with an Independent Sector provider (18 Weeks Support) to assist with some concentrated initial activity for those patients that …
Continue reading “Important Update: Buckinghamshire Community Ophthalmology Service”
23 October 2023
NHSBSA Provider Assurance Ophthalmic – email address changes
The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) Provider Assurance Ophthalmic team administers GOS contract management, GOS 4 pre-authorisation for adults and Post Payment Verification for ICBs. The email addresses for ophthalmic providers to use for these services have changed. Further details and the new email addresses here
24 July 2023
Important Update Regarding Changes To Local Referral Arrangements In Buckinghamshire
Please read this important update below , which is from BOB ICB, regarding changes to local referral arrangements in Buckinghamshire (not for MK area). Dear colleagues, Good day, we hope you are well Further to our previous communication in January with regards to the provision of community ophthalmology and triage service in Buckinghamshire we are …
21 June 2023