May 2024 Please see below the pathway for glaucoma patients across Northumberland, North Tyneside and Newcastle Gateshead. Remember that patients who have a sight test at your practice and who are identified as having raised IOP and/or glaucomatous visual field loss with no other indication of glaucoma should be seen within GRR. Patients who are …
Continue reading “Glaucoma Enhanced Referral Service – GERS (North of Tyne)”
16 May 2024
The NENC Integrated Care Board have produced a plan for the next few years. The joint forward plan provides a: • strategic overview of the key priorities and objectives for the medium term. • high-level summary of our priorities and objectives • summary of the work programmes we will deliver to achieve our medium-term objectives. …
Continue reading “North East and North Cumbria NHS Plan”
25 April 2024
Instructions have been sent to Contractors to help Performers (optometrists) send referrals and communications to GP via NHS mail. Sent Feb 2024. Please remember these should be sent from practice SHARED MAIL BOXES were possible (rather than personal NHS mail addresses) or EGRESS for those who do not have access to NHS mail accounts.
22 February 2024
If you would like to be paid for dispensing HES vouchers please ensure you have written the Optometry Practice address on the back before submitting it to the relevant HES finance department. Please note that all Newcastle Hospital NuTH) HES vouchers should be sent to the address below for payment. Failure to do so may …
Continue reading “HES vouchers”
3 January 2024
Please be aware that Orthoptists may be discharging stable patients who no longer require ongoing management in the hospital, and who may wish or need to continue with long-term Fresnel prism rather than incorporation. The patient should present with a Discharge letter. Patients will be advised that Fresnel prisms can be supplied by a primary care …
Continue reading “Orthoptists Discharge process from NuTH – Dec 2023”
22 December 2023
Keep checking back as these are updated as the local HES pass us their info. Durham and Darlington Update Dec 2023 is now available Referral Pathways
22 December 2023
An integrated care system (ICS) is the system that brings together the health and care organisations in a particular local area to deliver joined-up health and care services. Each ICS is responsible for planning health and care services in the area it covers. There are 42 ICSs across England. Each one is made up of …
Continue reading “What is the ICS?”
3 October 2023
Regular monthly CPD with a wide range of topics run by local volunteers – attracting both national and local speakers. Often the first Tuesday evening of the month. A mixture of face to face (in Newcastle) and zoom meetings. NEOS subs will remain unchanged this year. £90 for the year (Jan – December) or £25 …
Continue reading “North East Optical Society (NEOS) providing local CPD”
2 October 2023
The AOP has produced new Contact lens guidance and Training modules to help the whole practice team (you need an AOP member to access this) https://www.aop.org.uk/ot/cpd/practice-team-training This offering is designed for the whole practice team, whether you are a receptionist, an optical assistant, a dispensing optician, an optometrist or a manager. If you are not …
Continue reading “Practice team training”
5 September 2023
Optometry Today (OT) has released a new education package for optometry practice teams, delivered in partnership with the Association of Optometrists (AOP) and Johnson & Johnson Vision. The suite of four non-CPD modules (two modules currently available) are designed to develop key skills across various aspects of practice, in addition to improving training and development …
Continue reading “Optometry Today’s new education resource for practice teams”
9 August 2023
LOCSU is delighted to announce the reduction of the LOCSU levy from 0.5% to 0.4%.
31 March 2025
Each year the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) independently sets optical voucher values, dental charges and prescription charges for the coming year.
27 March 2025
