L+D Cats, EyeV Support, DSPT, CPD Grants and FODO News

29 January 2026

We have 6 items for you today:

1. Luton and Dunstable (L&D) Cataracts 
   We are advised, with thanks to Bedfordshire LOC, that Luton and Dunstable currently have the following waiting times for non complex cataract surgery: 3-4 weeks from referral to first appointment, a further 3-4 weeks to surgery for LA and 25 weeks for GA. L&D is included in the “Supplier Matrix” within the EyeV platform, although patients will need to call the helpline if they do want to go there and it is not one of the five choices they are offered by the system. We will be including them on our table, below, in future.
2. Waiting times for Cataracts at Trusts
   Please find below the current waiting times, as supplied by the local ICB, with thanks:

   Organisation:	Average number of weeks from referral received to date of 1st appointment	Average number of weeks wait for cataract surgery after listing LA	Average number of weeks wait for cataract surgery after listing GA
   East and North Hertfordshire Trust (Lister)	4	16	31
   West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals Trust (Watford)	13	32	32
   Princess Alexandra Hospital Trust  (Harlow)	7	13	22
   Moorfields at Potters Bar	3	3	n/a (LA and sedated only, not GA)
   Luton and  Dunstable (L & D) Non Complex	3-4	3-4	25

   We are continuing to push the ICB for comms around their enforced “minimum” wait times as previously advised. We hope the information above is of help to you but should you have any questions, please email us at admin@hertsloc.org.uk and we will forward them accordingly.
3. EyeV Platform (SPoA) Support and Information
   EyeV have advised that whenever you need support from them: “Please use the SPoA Online reporting function. This generates a ticket number, making case tracking easier.”. This can be found within the Help section of the Eye portal, where there is a drop down menu from which you can can choose ‘Report a problem’,

   Secondly, also found in the EyeV portal is a FAQs section where there is a lot of relevant information under ‘Practice information’, with more links to DSPT, ODS codes, etc.

   Please contact us if you need further advice.

4. Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT)
   
   In these times of email referrals, online portals and platforms, viruses, malware, ransomware, spam and scams, good security and governance is vital. All practices should ensure that their DSPT compliance is up to date.   

   In South and West Herts, Adam at EyeV has stressed the high priority of DSPT compliance for both practices and EyeV,  to avoid hacking and ensure data protection.

   Initially, DSPT may take time to complete but it will help us to gain NHS Spine look up (the ability to search for patients using the NHS database) when referring via the EyeV portal. The annual renewal of DSPT is more straightforward.

   Practices need to have completed DSPT either via QIO or the NHS version, not both. You can check your current compliance status at the NHS DSTP Organisation Search page HERE. The most recent standard is for 2025-2026, also known as “Version 8”.

   For those practices that are not compliant, here are some links to help get you started:

   1) Quality in Optometry HERE or the NHS DSPT website HERE  and their help pages HERE. 
   (S+W practitioners can also find these links via the EyeV platform under “Practice Information” as stated above)

   2) AOP Members: website Data Security and Protection Toolkit HERE. 

   3) Video tutorials have been provided by Primary Eyecare Services HERE and the Digital Care Hub, HERE. 

   4) NHS DSPT Helpdesk contact details are HERE.

   We cannot guarantee the accuracy or how up to date external pages are but we hope they may be of help to you.

5. CPD claims
    As you know, the CPD claim window was delayed last year, so many of you will be making claims now for CPD undertaken in 2024.

   PCSE advise that, due to a technical issue that they cannot easily resolve, when you log on to make a claim it will state that you are claiming for 2025 rather than 2024. Your claim will be treated as a 2024 claim and will be corrected after the window closes.

   Further information can be found in their statement HERE.

6. FODO News
   
   Is HERE, including “First phase of NHS Online to include eyecare”, “leavers to receive free eye services” and “PCC advises ICBs to deliver the 10 Year Health Plan by shifting services to local opticians, helping to deliver better value and relieve pressure on hospitals”.

 

Kind regards

Herts LOC