Latest News from Hampshire LOC 20 March 2026
20 March 2026
Important Information for Practices in North East Hampshire from HIOW ICB
We are writing to inform you of important upcoming changes to commissioning arrangements that may affect the services you currently provide to patients, who are registered with a GP in the North East Hampshire area.
As part of NHS England’s programme to implement Integrated Care Board (ICB) mergers and population boundary changes from 1st April 2026, responsibility for commissioning/ paying for services will change in line with the national technical guidance published on 23rd September 2025 and form part of a statutory process.
NHS Frimley ICB will cease to exist and patients in the North East Hampshire area, will become the responsibility of NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight ICB.
As a result, your North East Hampshire patients will be also covered in the current HIOW ICB Single Point of Access (SPoA) referral cataract pathway.
From the week commencing 30th of March, we ask that all cataract referrals are made via the SPoA service for patients in the HIOW ICB region.
Referral Guidelines/Information
Attached, you will find the HIOW referral guidance and patient leaflet, which includes all the information you need to begin using the pathway.
Next Steps
Please familiarise yourself with the available documentation and further information on the websites of the
ICB: https://www.hantsiow.icb.nhs.uk/cataracts and
LOC: https://www.loc-online.co.uk/hampshire-loc/routine-cataract-referrals/.
In due course all materials will be updated to reflect the geographical and organisational changes.
We are committed to supporting you throughout this transition. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at hiowicb-hsi.cataractspoa@nhs.net.
Neighbourhood Health Survey: Hampshire County Council Residents Only: Due March 30th 2026
The NHS is asking for people’s views on proposals to create 24 neighbourhood areas across Hampshire to help deliver care closer to home.
As part of this work, NHS Hampshire and Isle of Wight has proposed 24 areas within the county where services can be planned around the needs of local communities.
The proposal has been drawn up after working closely with Hampshire County Council public health teams and is part of an ongoing conversation with district and borough local authorities and health partners across Hampshire.
The survey is open to people living in Hampshire, excluding Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight, which will have their own neighbourhood health areas.
Research Request: Liverpool University Study on DVLA/DVA Driving Vision Standards
Liverpool University is conducting research into how eye care professionals in the UK interpret and advise patients on DVLA/DVA driving vision standards, particularly in relation to visual field guidelines. The research team is seeking input from optometrists and others who provide this advice as part of their clinical role.
They are inviting practitioners to complete a short online survey (approximately 10 minutes):
https://forms.office.com/e/GNXJi8EMLC
Please see flyer: Here
The aim of the study is to understand current levels of knowledge, how guidance is communicated to patients, and whether further training or support would be beneficial.
Eye care professionals can support this research by completing the survey themselves and by sharing it with colleagues who also advise on driving vision standards.
Hampshire LOC Latest News
Latest News from Hampshire LOC – 06 November 2026
Information from the Local Pharmacy Committee: NHS Hypertension Case Finding Service Dear Colleagues, We wanted to raise awareness of the NHS Hypertension Case-Finding Service (HCFS), which is available through many community pharmacies across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. The service supports the early detection of high blood pressure by offering in-pharmacy blood pressure checks …
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6 November 2026
Latest News From Hampshire LOC – 23 October 2026
Patient Complaints Template Available Following CUES Decommissioning Supporting Patients Who Wish to Raise Concerns The Hampshire LOC and LOCSU have developed a template letter for practices to provide to patients who previously accessed CUES and wish to express dissatisfaction regarding recent service changes. The letter encourages patients to direct their concerns and feedback appropriately to …
Continue reading “Latest News From Hampshire LOC – 23 October 2026”
23 October 2026
Hampshire LOC Newsletter – 16 October 2026
Low Vision and Stable Glaucoma Services to Continue in 2026/27 Service Continuity Confirmed The ICB has confirmed that both the Low Vision Service and Stable Glaucoma Service will continue throughout the 2026/27 financial year under existing service arrangements. Practices are asked to continue seeing and supporting patients as usual while discussions regarding future contract renewals …
Continue reading “Hampshire LOC Newsletter – 16 October 2026”
16 October 2026
Hampshire LOC Email Errors Now Resolved- 09 October 2026
Hampshire LOC Email Service Restored We are pleased to confirm that the Hampshire LOC email system is now fully operational following recent domain-related issues. If you previously attempted to contact us and did not receive a response, we kindly ask that you resend your email. We apologise for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience …
Continue reading “Hampshire LOC Email Errors Now Resolved- 09 October 2026”
9 October 2026
Latest News from Hampshire LOC – 09 October 2026
REMINDER: Hampshire LOC Strategy Planning Day – We Need Your Feedback! Hampshire LOC Committee will be holding a dedicated Strategy Planning Day on 12 October 2026, bringing together the whole committee to review our progress and set our priorities and objectives for the year ahead. To help ensure our plans reflect the needs of the profession, …
Continue reading “Latest News from Hampshire LOC – 09 October 2026”
9 October 2026
Hampshire LOC Email Errors – 08 October 2026
Server Errors Hampshire LOC are experiencing technical issues receiving emails from outside our organisation. Please bear with us while we work on the solution. You can still contact us using our social media pages Facebook and LinkedIn Many thanks, Hampshire LOC
8 October 2026
Latest News from Hampshire LOC – 02 October 2026
Hampshire LOC Strategy Planning Day – We Need Your Feedback! Hampshire LOC Committee will be holding a dedicated Strategy Planning Day on 12 October 2026, bringing together the whole committee to review our progress and set our priorities and objectives for the year ahead. To help ensure our plans reflect the needs of the profession, we …
Continue reading “Latest News from Hampshire LOC – 02 October 2026”
2 October 2026
Latest News from Hampshire LOC – 25 September 2026
Upcoming CPD Opportunity: The Biology of Breathing Hampshire LOC is pleased to share an upcoming online CPD event exploring the fascinating relationship between breathing and health. The Biology of Breathing will provide insights into the science of breathing and its wider impact on wellbeing and clinical practice. Online via Microsoft Teams – 29th September 2026 …
Continue reading “Latest News from Hampshire LOC – 25 September 2026”
25 September 2026
Latest News from Hampshire LOC – 18 September 2026
REMINDER: Hampshire CUES Decommissioning Update Webinar & Q&A Join Hampshire LOC, Primary Eyecare Services (PES) and LOCSU for a virtual meeting on 23 September, 7.00pm to 8.00pm, to hear the latest update on the decommissioning of the Community Urgent Eyecare Service (CUES) in Hampshire. The session will provide an opportunity for contractors and performers to …
Continue reading “Latest News from Hampshire LOC – 18 September 2026”
18 September 2026
Latest News from Hampshire LOC – 11 September 2026
REMINDER: Hampshire CUES Decommissioning Update Webinar & Q&A Join Hampshire LOC, Primary Eyecare Services (PES) and LOCSU for a virtual meeting on 23 September, 7.00pm to 8.00pm, to hear the latest update on the decommissioning of the Community Urgent Eyecare Service (CUES) in Hampshire. The session will provide an opportunity for contractors and performers to understand …
Continue reading “Latest News from Hampshire LOC – 11 September 2026”
11 September 2026