OFNC Statement: New Rules Proposed for GOS Contractors in England
7 July 2023
NHS England confirm that they have submitted proposals to the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) which will alter the GOS regulations affecting contractors and their services.
In a letter issued on 3 July, a number of amendments were outlined which are set to come into force between November 2023 and January 2024.
A reduction to the submission window for GOS 1, 5 and 6 forms and a move to an electronic payment claims system for all contractors by January 2024 has also been put forward.
The Optical Fees Negotiating Committee (OFNC) have been engaging with NHS England on each of the proposals.
OFNC Chair, Paul Carroll said: “OFNC welcomes the July optometry update from NHS England which contains a summary of our recent discussions to remove barriers to service access for more vulnerable patients.
“We have also been closely engaged with the proposals to modernise several aspects of the current GOS regulations. We will continue to work with NHS England to ensure that, when implemented, these proposals work in the interests of patients and contractors.
“In particular, the OFNC has stressed the importance of implementing continuity guidance so that businesses have a robust protocol to follow should we see system outages that affect the claims submission process as we have seen in recent times.”
In addition, the proposals look to extend the period in which a GOS contract is terminated as a result of the death of the contract holder from 7 days to 28 days, allowing more time for arrangements to be made.
It will also no longer be a requirement for contractors to declare their sex as part of their application to hold a GOS contract.
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