📣 Berkshire Local Optical Committee is looking for new committee members
14 May 2023
Want to help expand primary eyecare? Have your voice heard on issues that matter? Meet new people and learn more about the sector you work in? Benefit from career development opportunities?
Your Local Optical Committee is your route to making an impact.
LOCs represent the optical profession on all local general ophthalmic services matters and play a pivotal role in the design, commissioning and delivery of primary eyecare services. Joining your LOC committee gives you the opportunity to influence how eye care is delivered on a regional basis, make positive changes, represent your peers and gain new skills along the way.
You’ll gain a detailed insight into the issues affecting primary eyecare provision and through your LOC you will be helping to shape the future of primary eyecare.
LOCs are pivotal to delivering the NHS long term plan and there has never been a better time to get involved and help expand primary eye care services. Whatever your role – whether you are a practice owner, Optometrist, Dispensing Optician or Contact Lens Optician in Berkshire – your LOC wants to hear from you. Your skills and experience can make a difference for patients, contractors and practitioners as we build an eye health service that works for everyone.
There is a wide range of activities to get involved in, from commissioning negotiations to communications and no experience is necessary. Work is shared between LOC members and is flexible to fit around existing work commitments, with support on hand from LOC colleagues as well as from the LOCSU LOC Induction Programme.
Take on a new challenge – your LOC is waiting to meet you!
Committee members generally attend four meetings per year, normally in the evening. We welcome nominations from performers and contractors working across Berkshire, however, the committee would benefit from anyone in East Berkshire. Please submit your nomination via the form below.
APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED
Berkshire LOC Latest News
Inaccurate HES Voucher Claims
Dear Optometry Practice, Re: Inaccurate HES Voucher Claims We have recently become aware of a number of practices making inaccurate claims for spectacles via the NHS Voucher scheme. This includes amending voucher type, and addition of supplements for high refractive index lenses, or stating that cost of glasses is lower than voucher value and still …
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13 May 2024
REGO – Urgent Referral Update
Dear Optometry Colleagues, Electronic Eyecare Referral System (EeRS) – Direct referral requirement You will be aware that as part of the national requirements in the 2023/24 operational planning guidance, ICBs were asked to ‘expand direct access and self- referral where GP involvement is not clinically necessary’ by 1 September 2023. Systems were asked to put in place direct referral pathways from community …
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13 May 2024
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 …
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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 …
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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 …
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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 …
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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 …
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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 …
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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), …
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13 February 2024