Cataract and Post Op Information
Cataract Referrals: Single Point of Access (SPoA)
The Hampshire and Isle of Wight (HIOW) ICB has partnered with a company called Ufonia to manage NHS cataract referrals via SPoA. The aim of the SPoA is to streamline all NHS cataract referrals to one point and offer patients full choice of providers in a standardised scalable way.
Ufonia uses an autonomous telemedicine company (called DORA) to call the patients to discuss choice of surgical provider.
Referrals into SPoA are via this email address: hiow@spoa.uk
The full referral pathway: Jan 2026 SPoA – Referral instructions for Optometrists
(Please note, the LOC voted not to approve these guidelines due to Step 6 2b)
March 2026 Update (Communication from ICB):
As part of NHS England’s programme to implement Integrated Care Board (ICB) mergers and population boundary changes from 1st April 2026, NHS Frimley ICB will cease to exist and patients in the North East Hampshire area, will become the responsibility of NHS HIOW CB.
Therefore, from the week commencing 30th March, patients who are registered with a GP in North East Hampshire patients will be also covered in the current HIOW ICB SPoA NHS cataract referral pathway.
September 2025 (Communication from the ICB):
Single Point of Access (SPoA) for cataracts is now live and this is the only route for cataract referrals in HIOW ICB. Even if that patient is unsuitable for DORA (see referral process), the referral must still go via SPoA.
PLEASE NOTE: The pathway can not be mandated due to our current GOS contract (but it is the HIOW ICB’s preferred pathway). Therefore GPs are not to reject direct referrals but direct referrals to ISPs will be rejected. If any optometrists are aware of GPs rejecting referrals, please contact the chair@hampshireloc.org.uk
Key Points for Using SPoA:
Double check patient personal information: Your referrals must include their government held name, DOB and address. This is because the data on your referral MUST match the NHS held data. As an example, does the NHS/Government know this person as “William” rather than “Bill”?
If a patient is unsuitable (i.e hard of hearing/unable to participate in English) for the autonomous phone call (DORA): The referral is still to go via SPoA. Optometrists are to have the patient choice conversation and state on the referral the patient is unsuitable for DORA and provide the preferred provider (see Step 5 in the Referral Instructions).
If you (or a patient) have questions about the referral process or about a referral that has been processed, please contact hiowicb-hsi.cataractspoa@nhs.net.
Hospitals outside of Hampshire, including Bournemouth
Patients residing in Hampshire, but wishing to be seen elsewhere in England should still be referred via the SPoA, but will not be directed to DORA. Optometrists will need to have the patient choice conversation and the choosen provider will need to be indicated on the referral email.
Post-Cataract Information
April 2026: Communication from the HIOW ICB
Post Op Cataract Pathway
As part of our ongoing outpatient optimisation programme Hampshire and the Isle of Wight ICB is implementing a change to the post-operative pathway for cataract patients, in line with NHS England and GIRFT best practice guidance. This change takes effect from 1st April 2026, by extending the scope of the already embedded Single Point of Access for routine cataracts referrals so that this now includes the post operative follow up.
From 1st April 2026 post operative follow up activity will be manged through a virtual follow up pathway. Patients will receive their call at 4 weeks post operatively to discuss their ongoing care needs, and any required clinical follow-up will be coordinated directly with the provider that carried out the surgery.
There will be a small percentage of patients who require a face to face follow up due to post op complications or when the patient has had complex surgery. It will be up to the provider delivering the cataract surgery to deliver these follow ups.
Following the virtual follow up patients will be instructed to attend their local optician for the routine post-operative sight test at 4-6 weeks post-surgery. The provider undertaking the cataract surgery is responsible for any complications identified post-operatively. Patients will be given contact details for their providers should complications arise during their discharge process.
Please direct any queries to hiowicb-hsi.pod@nhs.net
Frimley Trust:
However, Frimley Trust has commissioned its own post-op cataract service for patients who had their surgery at a Frimley Trust location. This funding is separate from any ICB. This therefore includes patients whose home address or GP surgery falls within the HIOW ICB footprint.
The Frimley Trust locations are:
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Frimley Park
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Heatherwood (Ascot)
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Wexham Park (Wexham Park)
Any patient seen for their cataract surgery at a Frimley Trust location can be seen by a practice who have signed up to provide cataract services via OPERA to provide the NHS Post-Op Cataract Service.
The practice will be paid by Primary Eye Care Services (PES) for the episode as per the usual process.
These patients will appear on the Opera dashboard for booking when they are transferred by Frimley Trust (similar to any post-ops from ISP).
For any support for Post-Op Cataract episodes using OPERA, please visit Primary Eyecare Services – here or contact Katie Atkins, Clinical Lead, PES – Katie.Atkins@primaryeyecare.co.uk
However, please do alert the LOC to any trust (other than Frimley) requesting information from an optometrist in order to complete a post-op report. The LOC can be contacted via email – manager@hampshireloc.org.uk
PIFU (Patient Initiated Follow Up) Pathway for Hampshire GP patients who had cataract surgery in Dorset
CHEC are no longer providing postop assessments for those patients who had their cataract surgery in Dorset, and in the absence of any other commissioned pathway, Hampshire patients only will now be on a PIFU pathway. This is different from the virtual post-operative pathway as the originally provider was not part of the HIOW ICB.
Patients will be advised to book in with their usual optometrist 4-6 weeks after surgery to update their glasses, and to contact the Eye Unit if there are any concerns.
Please see this link to the information leaflet given to patients: PIFU cataract Leaflet
LOC suggested commentary when rejecting requests from Trust: – here
“Can I claim a GOS 1 alongside a Post-Op cataract assessment?” – here
Please do not refer to the SPoA for any post-cataract services. Routine YAG should be referred directly to the surgical provider or via the patient’s GP