Latest News from Hampshire LOC – 10 May 2024

Location:
Chilworth Manor Hotel, Chilworth, SO16 7PT
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Committee Nominations

There are vacancies on the management committee for two Contractor and three Performer representatives. Your support for the committee would be greatly appreciated and you can develop new skills along the way.

If you wish to be nominated for a position on the Committee; you should complete the Nomination paper including the nominee details – here  and return to isilk@hampshireloc.org.uk by Monday 13 May 2024.

Attendance

Tickets for this event are free. Places are limited so registration is a must. To register for attendance please go to the Ticket Source page – here

Proxy/Postal Votes

If you are unable to attend and require a proxy or postal vote for committee elections, acceptance of accounts and accounts scrutineers 2024-25 please email Ian Silk as above, by Monday 13 May 2024.

All papers for the AGM will be sent out on or about 15 May 2024.

Further Opportunity to participate in the Portsmouth – SE Hants Electronic Referral Service (eRS) Project

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ICB are pleased to announce that the direct access project is now live for Wet AMD referrals at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust.

The project is run by NHS Digital and we are now looking for additional optometrists within the Portsmouth and South East localities who would like to be involved. Optometrists from the rest of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight are welcome to volunteer also, as long as they see patients who will choose Portsmouth Hospitals University Trust for their ophthalmology treatment, as they are the only provider taking part currently.

The project gives participating optometrists access to refer patients directly to Portsmouth Hospitals via the e-Referrals Service (formally known as Choose and Book).

Those who wish to take part will be provided with an authentication key, allowing them to access a web based version of eRS to send referrals· This can be done without the need for an HSCN connection, which has been a barrier to optometrists accessing the system in the past.

Implementation support and training will be provided by NHS England’s Digital Partnering Team· Full training will be provided virtually. Virtual training has been provided throughout the project and feedback from Optometrists is that this met their expectations.

The project is for suspected wet AMD only initially, but may extend to additional ophthalmology pathways as the project progresses· Being part of the project removes the need for optometrists to refer patients with suspected wet AMD to their GP for onward referral to Portsmouth Hospitals University Trust. It also enables two way communication as Portsmouth Hospitals consultants will have the option to ask the optometrist for additional information, advise on how the patient can be managed in the community or accept the referral.

The aim of the project is to determine whether the NHS e-Referral Service is a suitable system for digitising referrals from optometrists to Hospital Eye Service Providers and to understand the business change effort needed for any further roll out.

If you would like to take part please email the ICB – hiowicb-hsi.icbelectivecaremailbox@nhs.net

If you don’t feel you are able to take part, please also make contact to let us know what the barriers or challenges to this are.

Change to NHS 111 call options for Healthcare Professionals

Please note that changes have been made to NHS 111 when calling as a Healthcare Professional, following an option being included for Mental Health.  Please note the changes below

The Healthcare Professional option is now Option 3, then Option 3 again as follows:-

“Thank you for calling NHS 111, Please press 9 to continue;

If your call is about physical health, Press 1
If you are in Mental Health Crisis Press 2
If you are a Healthcare Professional or Lab Technician Press 3
– If you are ambulance crew, Press 1
– If you are calling from a Care Home, Press 2
– For any other Healthcare Professional Press 3