News

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 …

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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 …

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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 …

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23 October 2023

Covid and Flu Jabs

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 …

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25 September 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 …

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21 June 2023

AGM 2023 Update

The nominal date and time for our AGM was 8.00 pm on 20th 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, Bruce …

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10 May 2023

AGM 2023

The 2023 AGM of Buckinghamshire Local Optical Committee will be at 8.00pm on the evening of 20th 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 …

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20 March 2023

NHS increases GOS fees and voucher value by 4.5%

Following the recent announcement of significantly below inflation increases in GOS fees, the OFNC have issued a statement HERE. The original letter from the Department of Health & Social Care can be found HERE. The new voucher values can be downloaded by clicking the link below: VOUCHERS AT A GLANCE 2023 

19 March 2023

General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) Contract

  NHS England – South East Region team have asked to share this with all contractors .   It is a national contractual requirement that GOS contractors are asked to complete and submit a Quality in Optometry (QiO) GOS contract compliance checklist once every 3 years, therefore we are writing to request that you complete …

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3 February 2023