22 September 2023

FODO member update - 22 September

This week:

• WGOS - clinical manual published
• National Eye Health Week
• Consultation begins on future design of special schools' eye care service
• PCSE IT upgrade - 29 and 30 September
• Take advantage of FODO HR support
• Other sector news
• Health policy news

WGOS - clinical manual published

NHS Wales has published more details about planned reforms.

• A summary of planned changes to WGOS 1 and 2 can be found here.
• The service manual for WGOS 1 and 2 can be found here.
• NHS Wales SSP has published a pre-recorded Q&A on Welsh reforms here. This was published on 12 September, with just 4 views as of 22 September. Please do take time to review this.
• WGOS newsletters can be accessed here.

Members in Wales are advised to read the service manual and share questions, concerns or points of clarity you want us to try and address by emailing [email protected]. We will coordinate feedback and share this with colleagues at Optometry Wales. 

National Eye Health Week

It has been a big week for eye care, with another successful National Eye Health Week (NEHW). Read more.  

Consultation begins on future design of special schools' eye care service

NHS England is engaging on eye care provision in special schools.

• Read about the engagement exercise
• Register for a public webinar on 3 October, 12-1pm
• Take part in the survey.

PCSE IT upgrade - 29 and 30 September

Reminder: PCSE will be undertaking IT upgrades on 29 and 30 September. Read our full update. 

Take advantage of FODO HR support

Practice owner members: don't forget that your FODO membership includes HR support. For advice and guidance, please contact [email protected] or 01244 688422. 

Other sector news

• The BBC reports on doctors' strikes and a patient's family worried about avoidable sight loss.
• Bookings are now open for the Annual Wales Eyecare Conference on 22 November
• Please note that the NICE consultation on diabetic retinopathy will close at 5pm on 27 September  
• The new IAPB and ILO report emphasises healthy vision as integral to safety and productivity at work and calls for action to protect workers' eye health. Learn more.

Health policy news

HSJ reports that NHS England will press ahead with outsourcing commercial functions as part of its ongoing restructuring, which includes reducing its team from 24,000 to 15,000. The contract outsourced to Capita in 2015 is the only procurement regarding primary care spend.

Consultation: Improving integrated commissioning in health and social care. FODO and sector partners are reviewing a call for evidence on proposals to change section 75 of the NHS Act 2006 to increase the use of pooled budgets with the aim of supporting health and care integration. The call for evidence closes on 31 October. To learn more or take part, please email [email protected].
 
NHS England has repeated that the prime minister has renewed the government's commitment to patient choice for consultant-led services to help tackle waiting lists.
 
The government is running a short follow-up consultation on plans to fix recoverable costs in lower damages clinical negligence claims. FODO will review this on members' behalf.