Latest News from Hampshire LOC – 09 May 2025

9 May 2025

Hampshire LOC AGM, 11 June 2025 from 18:30hrs

Location – Winchester Hotel & Spa, Worthy Lane, Winchester SO23 7AB

Google Maps – here
Apple Maps – here

The Hampshire LOC AGM taking place on Wednesday 11 June 2025

This meeting is open to all Hampshire and Isle of Wight NHS GOS Contractors and associated Optometrists, Dispensing Opticians and Contact Lens Opticians

To reserve your place at this year’s event please click – here

The evening will commence with registration and hot buffet from 18:30 – 19:15.

The AGM will commence at 1915hrs.

The AGM will be followed by a lecture ‘There’s more to AMD than Wet or Dry’ provided by our guest speaker, Mr Nish Srikantha MBBS PhD PGcertHE FRCOphth, Consultant Ophthalmologist specialising in Glaucoma, Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust

Committee Nominations:

There are vacancies on the management committee for two Contractor and two Performer representatives. Your support for the committee would be greatly appreciated and you can develop new skills along the way

If you wish to be nominated for a position on the Committee; you should complete the Nomination paper available – here

Please return completed nomination papers by Friday 16th May 2025 to –  isilk@hampshireloc.org.uk

Attendance:

Tickets for this event are free. Places are limited so registration is a must. To register for attendance please go to the ticket source page – here

Proxy/Postal Votes:

If you are unable to attend and require a proxy or postal vote for committee elections, acceptance of accounts and accounts scrutineers 2024-25 please email Ian Silk as above, by Monday 19 May 2025

All papers for the AGM will be sent out week commencing 19 May 2025

Cataract Single Point of Access – LOC Feedback Request

Hampshire LOC are interested in gathering feedback from performers and contractors across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight following the ICB initiated implementation of the SPoA (Single Point of Contact) for cataract referrals using AI program “Dora” with the company “Ufonia”

The form does not require your name or practice address, and responding email addresses will not be captured to ensure anonymity. If you would like to discuss feedback with the LOC please contact us directly via email: isilk@hampshireloc.org.uk

We ask that NO patient identifiable data is shared anywhere in direct feedback or on this form please

The data will be used from feedback to share our members’ views with Ufonia, the ICB and other stakeholders

The feedback form is available – here

Hampshire LOC Business Manager Recruitment

Our current Business Manager – Ian Silk is retiring at the end of June, so not only will this year’s AGM be his last, we are also looking to recruit a new Business Manager to take over from 01 July 2025

This is a part time remunerated role (on average 6-8 hrs a week spread over a year) but allows flexible working. Some meetings, in particular committee meetings and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) events are held in the evening. Meetings with other NHS organisations take place during the day usually via Teams with adequate notice given

It would suit someone with a portfolio career, ideally with experience around optometry and the wider NHS portfolio, ideally a retired NHS manager or an optometrist looking to expand their general management skills, but all suitable candidate applications will be considered

The post will assist and support Hampshire Local Optical Committee (HLOC) in its work of developing community eye care services across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight with the National Health Service England (NHSE), LOC Support Unit (LOCSU) and Primary Eyecare Service (PES)

The Business Manager will initially act as the first point of contact for the LOC and where necessary co-ordinate all LOC activities

If you know of any suitable candidates, please share this with them

To apply, please email a letter of application and a CV to ballen@hampshireloc.org.uk by no later than Friday 30 May 2025. Interviews are expected to take place in June

Practice Plus Group OCT CPD Event – 21 May 2025, at Leonardo Hotel Southampton

Practice Plus Group are holding aan OCT interpretation skills CPD event on 21 May 2025

Details on the event and how to register can be found – here