Latest News from Hampshire LOC 06 March 2026

12 March 2026

Primary Eyecare Services – Feedback Survey Now Open

Primary Eyecare Services has opened its short feedback survey, and all contractors and practitioners are invited to take part.

The survey focuses on your experience of working with Primary Eyecare Services, including communication, day‑to‑day interactions, and wider working relationships. With just five core questions, it takes less than five minutes to complete.

Access the survey here
(Survey closes at 5pm on Friday 13 March.)

Once the survey has closed, responses will be reviewed internally and any follow‑up actions will be directed to the relevant team.

An updated version of the Practice Guide is also available for reference. You can access it via the attachment or view it online: A Guide for Practices.

Your feedback is genuinely valued and helps shape ongoing improvements. Thank you in advance for taking the time to share your views.

Smoking Cessation Local Incentive Scheme for Optometry Practices: Expression of Interest extended to 12 March 2026 & Webinar Invite

(For Practices in the Hampshire County Council Region Only)

Hampshire County Council Public Health and the Hampshire & Isle of Wight ICB are inviting optometry practices within Hampshire County Council areas to express their interest in a proposed Local Incentive Scheme designed to embed smoking‑cessation conversations and referrals into routine optical care.

The deadline for submitting an Expression of Interest (EOI) has now been extended to 12 March 2026. All practices are encouraged to complete the short form—including those who may not wish to participate—to help commissioners understand the level of interest and support planning for the next stage of development.

EOI Form: https://forms.office.com/e/Z4WSTePnWN

Why this matters for eye health

Smoking remains one of the most significant modifiable risk factors for poor eye health, increasing the likelihood of conditions such as age‑related macular degeneration and cataracts. Optical practices are uniquely placed to initiate brief, meaningful conversations that can motivate patients to consider quitting.

The proposed scheme aims to support practices to:

• Increase uptake of Very Brief Advice (VBA) training among optical staff.
• Provide clear, supportive smokefree advice to patients who smoke.
• Refer patients directly to Smokefree Hampshire, the local Stop Smoking Service.
• Use patient‑facing materials to raise awareness of smoking’s impact on eye health and available cessation support.

Webinars for Hampshire practices

Hampshire County Council Public Health is hosting two short webinars/drop‑in sessions for practices wishing to ask questions or learn more about the scheme:

• Friday 6 March, 12:30–13:00
  Register: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/00e643cb-cb50-47e9-912b-51bb1b453cfb@3f81d8b5-ee07-4c17-869c-1db439018d9b
• Monday 9 March, 12:00–12:30
  Register: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/cc486477-28d2-49fc-9046-5235caa899e4@3f81d8b5-ee07-4c17-869c-1db439018d9b

These sessions are open to Hampshire County Council–area practices only and offer an opportunity to explore how the scheme could work in practice.

Completing the EOI takes only a few minutes, and your feedback will play an important role in shaping a programme with real potential to improve eye‑health outcomes across Hampshire.

ICB Merger & Boundary Changes – Update for Contractors

Effective 1 April 2026

NHS England has issued an update regarding the upcoming Integrated Care Board (ICB) mergers and boundary changes, which will take effect from 1 April 2026.

These changes form part of the wider national programme to streamline commissioning structures and strengthen consistency across regions. The update outlines how the new ICB arrangements will operate, what this means for local commissioning footprints, and the transitional steps being taken to ensure continuity of services.

📄 You can read the full NHS letter here: [link]

Hampshire LOC will continue to monitor developments closely and will keep contractors informed as further details emerge, particularly if changes may affect local pathways, service delivery, or communication routes with commissioners.

Four Seasons Optometry Education – Spring Event

Wednesday 22 April – Southampton General Hospital

Four Seasons Optometry Education returns this April with an evening of multi‑speciality interactive case discussions, hosted at Southampton General Hospital (UHS), Lecture Theatre 2, South Academic Block, from 6:30pm.

This popular series brings together expert speakers from across ophthalmic subspecialties, offering practical, discussion‑based learning for community optometrists.

Programme Highlights

• Neuro‑Ophthalmology
  Miss Helena Lee – “The crossed signals enigma”
• Medical Retina
  Miss Gabriella de Salvo – “Eyes Deceived: Macular Illusions”
• Oculoplastics
  Miss Doreen Khan‑Lim – “Let’s strengthen knowledge by talking about weakness”

To register:
Email lasheyecare@gmail.com or join the Four Seasons Optometry Education Facebook group.

Catering for the event is sponsored by Santen Pharmaceutical.

Event flyer: Document