Welcome to the Northumberland, Tyne and Wear LOC website
The Northumberland, Tyne & Wear LOC is the official organisation that represents optometrists and opticians in our area. It was formed in January 2015 by the amalgamation of North of Tyne and South Tyne & Wear LOCs. The main role of the LOC is to work with local NHS commissioners to make community eye care services accessible to patients and cost-effective for the NHS.
The objective of this website, launched on 6/6/2020, is to provide eye care practitioners, other health care professionals and the public with information about all aspects of eye care provision available within Northumberland, Tyneside and Sunderland.
Please explore the rest of our site by clicking on the tabs and dropdown menus.
Our next meeting will be in October, dates will follow shortly once confirmed.
The DHSC has confirmed today that the temporary measure whereby NHS GOS contractors state ‘COVID-19’ instead of requiring patient signatures on forms has now been extended until 30 June 2021. This measure was originally implemented as a COVID infection prevention control measure by removing the need for patients to handle pens in optical practices – …
Continue reading “COVID-19 Exemption for Patient Signatures Extended”
30 March 2021
Primary Care Optical Practices have the skill set, workforce, clinical capability, equipment and, most importantly, the willingness to improve the eye health opportunity and eye health journey of our local communities. However, it needs to be recognised that Primary Care Optical Practices can no longer be expected to provide services under goodwill or through the …
Continue reading “Primary Care Optical Practice is a hugely undervalued aspect of eye health.”
4 March 2021
NTW LOC have also been made aware that some secondary care surgical providers are now conducting all post-operative care reviews via telephone consultation. Patients are presenting with post-operative forms from the surgical provider for completion by optometrists requesting information such as Vision and VA. The reporting of such information falls outside the requirements of GOS …
Continue reading “Post-Operative Cataract information”
4 March 2021
Our next meeting will be in October, dates will follow shortly once confirmed.
LOCSU supports Local Optical Committees (LOCs) across a range of activities including commissioning guidance, policy development, governance and compliance support, education and communications. Visit locsu.co.uk or signup to the LOCSU newsletter
