Latest News from Hampshire LOC – 14 August 2026

14 August 2026

Hampshire LOC Statement – Decommissioning of CUES

It is with great disappointment that the Hampshire LOC confirm the decommissioning of the Community Urgent Eyecare Service (CUES) in Hampshire.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board (HIOW ICB) have informed the LOC that the service will end on 31st Dec 2026. The ICB have issued notice to Primary Eyecare Services (PES) as the provider organisation.

Hampshire LOC are working closely with the ICB, LOCSU and PES, seeking guidance from sector bodies and the College as needed, and will provide regular updates to contractors and performers over the coming months.

Diary placeholder: The LOC would like to invite all Hampshire contractors and performers to a virtual meeting on the 23 September (7pm – 8pm) to provide an update and take any questions. 

The LOC will be joined by PES and LOCSU and a registration link will be sent soon. 

The ICB were clear that the Hampshire CUES service performed well and delivered a good service to patients.

Over the past months, the LOC has worked hard on your behalf to protect the service and continue to raise concerns to the ICB and key stakeholders regarding the alternative arrangements being put in place. The LOC are working closely with LOCSU and together with the College of Optometrists, we have written to the ICB to escalate concerns relating to patient safety, the exclusion of optometry expertise from eye care pathways and the potential displacement of demand into other urgent care services and pharmacy.

The LOC want to thank all participating practice teams for the years of dedication and professional care delivered within the service, serving your local neighbourhoods. We are sure the loss of this service will be felt by many across Hampshire.

We do hope you can join us on the 23^rd September to share your experience, there will be opportunity to discuss your concerns.

Clarification regarding appointments following cataract surgery – Virtual Follow-up Pathway

From 1st April 2026 post operative follow up activity has been managed through a virtual follow up pathway where clinically appropriate. This means that patients will receive a phone call in the postoperative period, typically between 3-4 weeks following surgery, to identify any ongoing care needs and if required, a clinical follow-up is coordinated directly with the provider that carried out the surgery. Where the surgical provider feels there is a clinical reason for face-to-face follow-up, it is the responsibility of that provider to deliver these follow-ups. In some cases, providers may have a contract with individual optometric practices to deliver post cataract assessment.

Complications

As part of their ophthalmology contracts surgical providers are responsible for managing all their patient’s post-operative complications regardless of timescale. Providers are responsible for reporting complications to the ICB allowing the commissioner to maintain standards of quality for its population.

If a patient presents in practice with symptoms suggestive of post-operative complications, the patient should be advised to contact their surgical provider using the details they were given during their discharge process.

If a patient presents for their sight test (with no symptoms) but a post-operative complication is discovered during the sight test, then the optometrist should refer via a GOS18 referral and should note on the referral who the cataract provider was, if known.

If a patient contacts your practice with symptoms who has already reached out to their surgical provider and been informed that the provider cannot see them, please do inform the LOC and the ICB of the incident by emailing hiow.electivecaremailbox@nhs.net with the details, after obtaining patient consent.

Frimley POCS Patients: Reminder on Appropriate Booking Timescales

Following a routine audit of the Frimley NHS Foundation Trust Post Operative Cataract Service (POCS), a significant number of patients were found to be attending appointments outside the recommended post-operative timeframe.

Practices delivering POCS in the Frimley area are reminded that patients should normally be booked for their post-operative assessment 4 to 6 weeks after surgery. While there is flexibility for patients who are unavailable during this period, appointments should not be scheduled beyond 12 weeks post-operatively, and practices are encouraged to keep as close to the 6-week timeframe as possible.

Practices experiencing capacity challenges or requiring support are encouraged to contact Katie Atkins at katie.atkins@primaryeyecare.co.uk.

OFNC Statement

OFNC have released this statement to update you on national developments concerning GOS funding, eRS implementation and related negotiations.