Latest News from Hampshire LOC – 11 September 2026

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 the current position, hear what is being done to raise concerns on behalf of the profession, and ask questions about the next steps and potential impact on patients and practices.

This is a closed session for those working in the Hampshire area only.

This Engagement Webinar is organised by Hampshire LOC. It is strictly by direct invitation only and is exclusive to optical practice contractors and performers in the area. On receipt of the invitation, do not forward on to colleagues outside your practice.

Contractors and performers who wish to attend should email manager@hampshireloc.org.uk with their full name, GOC number and practice address. Registration details and joining instructions will then be provided.

To help us make the session as valuable as possible, please share any questions in advance when requesting your meeting link.

Practice Compliance Reminder

Primary Eyecare Services has issued a reminder to practices regarding the importance of keeping compliance documentation up to date within OPERA.

Since late last year, OPERA has displayed pop-up notifications when practice compliance documents are approaching expiry or require updating. These alerts are designed to provide timely reminders and reduce the need for separate email notifications. Practices are encouraged to act promptly on these notifications to help ensure uninterrupted access to clinical forms and services.

Practice managers should regularly review and update the following documentation within their Practice Profile:

• GOS   Contract Checklist
• NHS   Contract Checklist
• Data   Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT)
• Practice   Annual Declaration

Maintaining accurate and current documentation is an essential part of contractual compliance. Where required documents have expired or are outstanding, access to clinical forms may be restricted until the relevant documentation has been uploaded and verified.

Further guidance on maintaining Practice Profiles is available via the Primary Eyecare Services Help Centre:

https://help.optom-referrals.org/article/388-practice-profiles

For assistance with uploading documentation or any compliance-related queries, please contact hello@referral.support.

Please ensure your practice documentation is reviewed regularly to avoid any disruption to service access.

Dry Eye Event: A full day event with 9 interactive CPD points hodted by Inspiring Success- for Hampshire Contractors & Performers Only

Following the resounding success of Dry Eye United, Inspiring Success is delighted to be bringing the event to the South for the very first time in partnership with Hampshire LOC.

This full-day event offers exceptional value, including 9 interactive CPD points for Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians, live peer review with real patients, specialist IP education, a full three-course hot buffet lunch, and refreshments throughout the day.

The Hampshire LOC have increased the number of limited places they will fund for contactors and performers in Hampshire. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Event Details
• Date: 4th October 2026
• Time: 10:00am – 4:00pm
• Venue: Solent Hotel & Spa, Rookery Avenue, Whiteley, Fareham, PO15 7AJ
• CPD: 9 interactive CPD points, including IP, Peer Review and sessions involving real-life patients (suitable for Optometrists and DOs)
• Education: GOC-accredited lectures with practical, clinically relevant content, including peer review with real patients led by a Corneal Consultant
• Catering: Full three-course hot buffet lunch and refreshments throughout the day.

If you are interested in a complimentary place funded by the Hampshire LOC, please email manager@hampshireloc.org.uk with your name, GOC number and practice location and we will send you a link to register for the event.  We do ask, if you register for the event but can no longer attend, please let the Hampshire LOC know so we can reallocate the ticket.

However, you can still sign up to the event once the number of free places have gone for only £19 Early Bird Price

BOOK YOUR PLACE:
Dry Eye United South – £19 Early Bird Tickets Places are limited and the £19 Early Bird price is available for a limited time

Practice Free Well-being Resource for the Optical Profession

Looking after our own well-being is just as important as caring for our patients. A new complimentary resource is now available to everyone working or studying within the optical profession.

The Person Behind the Role: Well-being and Purpose in Optometry, written by optometrist and mindset coach Sheena Tanna-Shah, explores the personal and professional challenges that can impact well-being throughout a career in optics.

Covering topics such as stress, burnout, workplace relationships, feeling valued, rediscovering purpose, and delivering compassionate patient care, the book combines honest reflections and relatable experiences with practical guidance and tools that can be applied in everyday practice.

Importantly, this resource has been written for the entire optical team, including optometrists, dispensing opticians, contact lens opticians, practice managers, optical assistants, students, educators, and support staff.

Thanks to the generous support of Optometry Wales, the ebook is available completely free of charge.

Download your complimentary copy here:
Download The Person Behind the Role

For those who prefer a printed version, a paperback edition is also available for purchase through Amazon.

As Sheena reminds us, “Whatever your role, your well-being matters because behind every role is a person.”

Immediate Sequential Bilateral Cataract Surgery (ISBCS) is now available at SpaMedica Portsmouth & Southampton

ISBCS allows suitable patients to have cataract surgery on both eyes during the same appointment, rather than returning for a second operation at a later date.

What does this mean for your patients?

For eligible patients, ISBCS can:

• Reduce   the time between surgery on each eye
• Reduce   the number of hospital visits required
• Provide   a convenient, evidence-based option for suitable patients

Each eye is treated as a separate procedure, with the same surgical technique and clinical safety standards.

Patient safety remains our priority

• ISBCS   is only offered to patients who meet our clinical eligibility criteria.
• Each   eye is treated as a separate operation, including a full sterile reset, separate instruments and full safety checks before proceeding with the second eye. If there is any concern during the first procedure, surgery on the second eye will not proceed.
• We   are taking a phased approach to introducing ISBCS, allowing us to monitor patient safety, clinical outcomes and operational performance as the pathway develops.

What does this mean for referrals?

• There   is no change to the referral process. Suitable patients can continue to be referred to Portsmouth and Southampton in the usual way, just note “Bilateral – same day” on the referral please.

If   you would like any further information about ISBCS or patient suitability, please contact your usual SpaMedica representative Emma James – Emma.James@spamedica.co.uk

SpaMedica Southampton CPD Evening – Anatomy of Complication – Peer Review

Join colleagues for an evening of CPD with SpaMedica Southampton.

SpaMedica is hosting a face-to-face CPD event focused on the topic”SpaMedica Files: Anatomy of a Complication – Peer Review”, presented by Janan Sundaralingam. The session is designed for optometrists and offers 3 CPD points, with SpaMedica registered as a GOC CPD provider.

The event will take place at Stoneham Place, Southampton, and includes light refreshments on arrival. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.

This is an excellent opportunity to enhance your clinical knowledge, reflect on real-world complications through peer review, and network with fellow practitioners in the region.

Date: Wednesday, 7 October 2026
Time: 6:00pm to 9:00pm
Venue: Stoneham Place, Stoneham Lane, Southampton, SO50 9NW

Book your place:
Register via Eventbrite

Places are limited, so early booking is recommended