13 November 2020

FODO member update – 13 November

Here is a summary of the main news this week

1. Covid-19 updates - testing, vaccine and Wales & Scotland updates
2. GOC freezes registration fees
3. GOC Council - ESR & CPD
4. PCSE update - CET grants, forms and payments
5. Other sector news

1. Covid-19 updates - testing, vaccine and Wales & Scotland updates

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) announced this week that research by Oxford University and Public Health England has shown "lateral flow tests are accurate and sensitive enough to be used in the community, including for asymptomatic people". 

This new test processes Covid-19 samples within half an hour. Sir John Bell, regius professor of medicine at the University of Oxford, said lateral flow test is expected to form a key part of the test and trace strategy. 

DHSC has confirmed that "Directors of public health will determine how to prioritise the allocation of these new tests, based on the specific needs of their communities, and will determine how people in the local area are tested."  

Covid-19 vaccine delivery programme 

With news that Covid-19 vaccines are progressing through clinical trials, the NHS is starting to prepare for a potential mass vaccination programme. As part of this planning phase, NHS England-Improvement teams may approach FODO members about whether you, as part of primary care, are interested in helping deliver the programme. This is largely an intelligence gathering exercise at this stage. If you are contacted, please take the time to offer feedback if you can. 

Wales and Scotland updates 

First Minister Mark Drakeford confirmed on Monday that the Firebreak lockdown in Wales would end on 9 November as planned and that new local rules would be introduced. 

The new announcement does not affect how primary eye care services are provided in Wales. 

Scotland published a new PCA which provides information on how optometry and pharmacy can work together to serve local needs throughout the pandemic. Read PCA(O)(2020)18.   

2. GOC freezes registration fees

The General Optical Council (GOC) has announced it will freeze its annual registration fees for 2021-22 "due to the uncertainty of the impact of Covid-19 on the economy and registrants". 2021-22 fees will be £360 for fully qualified registrants and businesses, and £30 for students.

To support lower-earning registrants, the GOC Council has also agreed to permanently change the eligibility criteria so that registrants earning up to £16,000 a year will benefit from reduced fees.

3. GOC Council - ESR & CPD

The GOC Council meeting this week discussed planned CET reforms and next steps with the Education Strategic Review (ESR).

It has agreed that ESR proposals should be reviewed and refined by the GOC's Expert Advisory Groups (EAGs) and that "proposals, including responding to concerns that the outcomes in the clinical practice categories required further development, whilst retaining its high-level outcomes-orientated approach. It also agreed that further work was needed in communicating the concept of the single point of accountability." ABDO cautiously welcomed the GOC ESR discussion. 

On proposals to transform CET into CPD, the Council said this was widely supported and that, based on feedback, it would now also: 

• Extend peer review requirements to dispensing opticians 
• Allow CPD greater than half an hour to be considered for fractional points 
• Allow registrants to decide whether learning is relevant to their professional development instead of requiring non-approved CPD to be 'designed for healthcare professionals'. 

Read more about this week's council meeting.     

4. PCSE update - CET grants, forms and payments

In its November ophthalmic bulletin, PCSE: 

• Reminds the sector that the CET claims window closes on 30 November 2020 and to allow sufficient time to ensure the application can be processed online 
• Reconfirms patients do not have so sign GOS forms until "at least" 31 March 2021, as part of measures to reduce the risk of infection 
• Asks practices to consider submitting paper claims on a weekly basis to aid processing during the lockdown period 
• Says average monthly payments will continue to be paid to open practices which remain open in line with NHS England's 26 October letter. However, because of the delay in the NHS confirming September arrangements, grant payments will be made retrospectively on your next GOS payment date. Read the bulletin for more detail.

5. Other sector news

The GOC this week suspended optometrist Honey Rose for nine months. Read the GOC's statement. 

The Optician reports on automated diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening technology being developed in Germany based on deep learning artificial intelligence. The technology claims to achieve "the same diagnostic performance of human experts", the Optician reports. Read more. 

At this year's FMO AGM, Chairman Stuart Burn set out plans for next year's 100% Optical show following the sale of Optrafair to event organiser Media 10. Ann Blackmore explained post-Brexit rules, and the FMO discussed its plans to deliver new benefit benefits. Read more.