Integrated Care Systems Established 1st July 2022

2 July 2022

Today NHS Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) have been legally established! This sees the end of Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) which have managed local health services since the last set of legal reforms.ICSs are intended to bring about major changes in how health and care services are planned, paid for and delivered, and are a key part of the future direction for the NHS as set out in the NHS Long Term Plan. It is hoped that they will be a vehicle for achieving greater integration of health and care services; improving population health and reducing inequalities; supporting productivity and sustainability of services; and helping the NHS to support social and economic development.

ICSs represent an opportunity for Optometry Practices, Local Optical Committees (with LOCSU support) and Primary Eyecare Services (PES) to scale up our current and new extended services for the benefit of patients and the NHS.

What does this mean for Optometry Practices and Extended Eye Care?

Primary Eyecare Services (PES) have been working hard in the 6mths run up to today. Working with local NHS commissioners up and down the systems in which we support extended service delivery. This has focussed on the following two areas:

Work with commissioners to understand their plans for 1st July 2022 and ambitions for 1st April 2023.
Preparation for changes in invoicing to avoid/minimise any potential disruption to payment processes and timescales.

We are glad to confirm that all PES contracts for extended services that were in place yesterday have transitioned to the local NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) – ensuring current service provision can continue without disruption.

Currently services will remain at the geographical area that they have been commissioned and delivered to date; we are working with commissioners and other stakeholders to look to take advantage of the new arrangements to achieve even greater consistency across regions and scale up services to ICS level where agreed.

So, NO immediate changes for you!

We have also been working with the systems to ensure that invoicing and financial process should transition smoothly through this process to avoid delays in payment flows. All new organisational names and financial codes have been implemented and this should minimise any potential delays.
We have been advised by some NHS systems that they expect the sign off process for invoices in July’s first round, may be very slightly delayed between 1-2 weeks beyond the usual timescales, but they expect to be back to usual timescales thereafter. PES will be actively monitoring this and keeping practices updated locally if there are any unexpected delays.

PES will keep practices updated to any changes to services in your area as the coming year sees developments.

From PES July update.

Berkshire LOC Latest News

Optometrist Referral Pathways Survey – request for help

Emily Charlesworth is a postdoctoral research fellow at Anglia Ruskin University, and is currently distributing a survey to investigate how optometrists refer into secondary care and which referral pathways exist in different areas of the UK. If any specific pathways exist the survey will ask further questions regarding the optometrist’s experience of using these …

Continue reading “Optometrist Referral Pathways Survey – request for help”

23 April 2024

Frimley Post Cataract Service

The Frimley post-cataract service is now up and running well. Specifically beneficial for practices located in East Berkshire or those on the borders of this area, the service boasts sufficient funding to operate smoothly and effectively. Patients who opt for this service can expect a streamlined process for post-operative care, ensuring that they receive …

Continue reading “Frimley Post Cataract Service”

19 April 2024

REGO Update

Please find below an update regarding the REGO platform: The implementation of the urgent referral button is still pending. Please check your dashboard regularly to ensure that any bounced back referrals are actioned. Please get in touch should you have any questions or require further clarification.

19 April 2024

LOCSU and LOC Levy Rate

Dear Berkshire contractors and performers, I am writing to inform you of the decision made by the LOC to increase the levy rate from the current 0.5% to 0.8%. This decision follows careful consideration of our financial situation and the evolving needs of our committee. The decision to increase the levy rate is based on …

Continue reading “LOCSU and LOC Levy Rate”

19 April 2024

SpaMedica Referrals

Due to changes in the pathway of cataract referrals in the NHS Berkshire, Oxfordshire, and Buckinghamshire ICB (BOB), SpaMedica are only accepting cataract referrals from those practices that have the Rego platform, by the Rego platform. When the Rego platform is available in a practice, we are no longer accepting cataract referrals sent directly from …

Continue reading “SpaMedica Referrals”

19 April 2024

New general ophthalmic services fees

New general ophthalmic services 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 …

Continue reading “New general ophthalmic services fees”

3 April 2024

CPD Webinar: The Evolution of Glaucoma Filtering Services in Primary Care

CPD Webinar The Evolution of Glaucoma Filtering Services in Primary Care REGISTER HERE Dear Colleague, The Professional Development Team at Primary Eyecare Services are delighted to present our inaugural CPD webinar: The Evolution of Glaucoma Filtering Services in Primary Care (in England) Monday 4th March at 7:00pm via Microsoft Teams This event is aimed at …

Continue reading “CPD Webinar: The Evolution of Glaucoma Filtering Services in Primary Care”

25 February 2024

RNIB Low Vision Centre CPD Event

Dear LOC colleague The RNIB Low Vision Centre is pleased to inform you of a CPD event for Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians on: Wednesday 20th March 2024 6pm to 8.30pm at: Royal National Institute of Blind People Grimaldi Building 154a Pentonville Road London N1 9JE This event will include 3 interactive CPD points (applied for), …

Continue reading “RNIB Low Vision Centre CPD Event”

13 February 2024

Is everyone in your practice learning disability and autism aware?

The Health and Social Care Act 2022 has made it a requirement of all CQC regulated health and care providers that all their staff – clinical and administrative – receive mandatory learning disability and autism awareness training by people with lived experience. Health Education England has developed the Oliver McGowan mandatory learning disability and …

Continue reading “Is everyone in your practice learning disability and autism aware?”

13 February 2024

Berkshire LOC CPD Event – 5th of March

Berkshire LOC CPD Evening Join us for an exciting evening of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) at the Berkshire LOC CPD Evening. This in-person event will take place on Tue March 5th 2024, 5:30 – 9:00pm at the Wokingham Cricket Club. Our event aims to provide a relaxed and informal setting for eye care professionals to …

Continue reading “Berkshire LOC CPD Event – 5th of March”

3 February 2024

LOCSU Latest news

LOCSU is Recruiting!

Are you passionate about improving eye health across England? Do you want to share your experience and skills to empower local leaders and LOCs?

3 May 2024