Update: Frimley ICB Enhanced Cataract Referral Service Pathway for Hampshire Patients
23 April 2026
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Dear Practitioner, With the changes to Integrated Care Board (ICB) boundaries, GP surgeries that were previously under Frimley ICB have been split between the new Thames Valley ICB, Surrey and Sussex ICB, and Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB. These changes are listed here. Patients registered with historic Frimley ICB GP surgeries are still eligible for the enhanced services that were commissioned by Frimley ICB, until at least December 2026. These are the Enhanced Cataract Referral Service, Wet AMD Direct Referral Service, and Glaucoma Repeat Readings. Patients that are registered with GP surgeries that have moved into Hampshire and Isle of Wight (IOW) ICBs footprint are now also eligible for the Hampshire DORA SPoA. This is the ICB’s preferred pathway for Hampshire and Isle of Wight patients being referred for cataract surgery. The ICB have requested that Enhanced Cataract Referral Service patients are also sent through this pathway. Hampshire-based Independent Service Providers may reject any referrals they receive that have not gone through DORA SPoA. Please note, this update does not affect patients who are registered with GP surgeries in Thames Valley ICB or Surrey and Sussex ICB. The patients who are eligible for both services and affected by this update are those registered with the following GP surgeries only:
When you complete an Enhanced Cataract Referral Service episode for these patients, after submitting the form, click the red ‘refer’ button and go to the list of hospital referral options, then scroll down the provider list and select HAMPSHIRE AND ISLE OF WIGHT CATARACT SPoA (DORA PHONECALL). |
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Depending on the patient’s address, this option may be quite far down and sit near Southampton based provider options. The Enhanced Cataract Referral Service provides a detailed medical history that would be duplicated by a DORA phone call. As a result, it has been agreed that the SPoA team will simply direct the referral to the patient’s chosen cataract surgery provider and will not arrange a DORA phone call. You will therefore still need to have the patient choice conversation and include the chosen hospital in the referral form. Please name the hospital that you wish the referral to be sent to on the Outcome Recording page, in the box titled ‘Comments to surgical provider if required’. This is the second-to-last page before submitting the form. |
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If you do not include any reference to where the patient wishes to be referred for surgery and use the SPoA endpoint, the patient will still receive a DORA phone call to establish patient choice. If you have any questions about this change, please contact me at katie.atkins@primaryeyecare. Kind regards, Katie Atkins – Clinical Lead Primary Eyecare Services |
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