GOS Pitfalls, Watford waiting times, FODO News

12 February 2025

We have 3 items for you today:

1. NHSBSA: Common Pitfalls with GOS Claiming
   
   NHSBSA recently ran a webinar, “Common Pitfalls with GOS Claiming”, around how to ensure GOS claims are accurate and avoiding PPV issues. Their key takeaways were:

   • Note the condition and age of patient’s spectacles.
   • Focimeter spectacles and avoid just copying the previous prescription.
   • Measure and record the patient’s visual acuity with their previous refraction result or their current spectacles. Including for Near Vision as well.
   • The measurement of unaided vision is relevant when the patient does not currently wear any correction.
   • Patient’s photophobic symptoms need to substantiate the clinical findings that would cause symptoms.
   • Evans Algorithm: Heterophoria – Which cases need treatment? – https://www.researchgate.net/publication/355162666_Heterophoria_-_Which_cases_need_treatment
   • College of Optometrist guidance A67: “In the absence of clinical indications, you should not examine patients who are being monitored by the hospital eye service more frequently than every two years.”
   • Ensure the date in Part 3 of the GOS6 form is the same as when the sight test took place. 

   Other useful items discussed were as follows:

   – It was recommended that you record where and when the patient’s last sight test was when they are new to your practice.

   – As mentioned in the key points above, there were a couple of other important comments made about stable glaucoma patients and diabetics who are being monitored in secondary care, stable cataract and stable dry AMD patients: In summary, these patients should now be on two year reminders unless there is a clinical justification to see them after one year, irrespective of their age. No longer should the over 70s be put onto an automatic annual review.

   –  They emphasised that the measurement of near VAs with the previous spectacles or prescription, as well as with the new prescription found, was an often omitted section in the record cards. If no spectacles are worn, distance and near visions should be recorded. This seemed to be one of the things the NHS were picking up during a post payment verification check when seeking justification for the issue of a voucher.

   – On the NHSBSA site, there is a useful “GOS Eligibility Checker” at https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/check-if-youre-eligible-help

   They advise that further information is available on their website: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/provider-assurance-ophthalmic

2. Waiting Times at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals Trust (Watford) 
   Only a partial update on Cataract waiting times this month, due to the Christmas and new year period:
    

   Organisation:	Average number of weeks from referral received to date of 1st appointment	Average number of weeks wait for cataract surgery after listing LA	Average number of weeks wait for cataract surgery after listing GA
   East and North Hertfordshire Trust (Lister)	Update not received	Update not received	Update not received
   West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals Trust (Watford)	6	12	12
   Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust (Harlow)	13	“Unable to advise due to new EPR”	“Unable to advise due to new EPR”

    

3. FODO News
   Is HERE, including New eye care data hub launched, FODO responds to GOC business regulations consultation and Tear down regulatory barriers that hold back growth. Their update from 17th January is HERE including College calls for your input on AI in eye care, NIH study signals sustained benefit from myopia control and The Guardian reports that the Centre of Health and Public Interest said Wes Streeting was talking “utter nonsense” about how the independent sector could support the NHS. Mr Streeting has hit back, saying that independent healthcare has additional capacity to help reduce NHS pressures. He added that the government is committed to ending the two-tier system where those who can pay are seen sooner in the private sector. Their update from 10th January is HERE, including Sector responds to government’s plans for NHS in England, GOC business regulation consultation and GOC publishes new standards.

 

Kind regards

Herts LOC