31 October 2025

FODO member update – 31 October

This week:

• New databank captures one million retinal scans
• Get involved: new DES standards
• GOC turns to social media for registrant feedback
• Primary eye care responds to latest NHS England Planning Framework
• At a glance
• Health policy updates

New databank captures one million retinal scans

A Fight for Sight-funded project has captured one million retinal scans as part of the Scottish Collaborative Optometry-Ophthalmology Network eResearch (SCONe), established in 2020 by the University of Edinburgh and Glasgow Caledonian University. The project included 10 of 14 Health Board areas in Scotland and aims to use the data bank with AI to develop new tools that advance eye health. Learn more. 

Get involved: new DES standards

Healthcare Improvement Scotland is developing standards for the Diabetic Eye Screening (DES) programme. The four draft standards out for consultation are:

• Diabetic eye screening invitation 
• Diabetic eye screening 
• Assessment of images and screening results 
• Referral to optical coherence tomography or ophthalmology. 

The consultation on the draft standards closes on 27 November 2025. Take part. 

GOC turns to social media for registrant feedback

The GOC is using LinkedIn and an online survey to ask registrants whether they work in clinics that 'overbook' and, if so, their experiences of this. Eye care providers can also use the survey to share their views.
 
This investigation is part of the GOC's thematic review of primary eye care services, which the GOC refers to as commercial practices. The work comes at a time when the GOC is seeking to expand business regulation. 

Primary eye care responds to latest NHS England Planning Framework

NHS England has published its medium-term planning framework 2026-29.
 
Harjit Sandhu, FODO chief executive, said: "The latest planning framework proclaims the 'end of short-termism' and promises to create headroom to tackle the 'fundamental problems' the NHS faces. It goes on to state that 'most importantly, it marks the return of locally led ambition' in the NHS.

"While the plan does not explicitly mention primary eye care, it establishes some core operating principles that strategic leaders will pay close attention to, including that top-down reforms are unlikely any time soon and local systems will be expected to drive change. These systems will be responsible for shifting care out of hospitals, closer to where people live. Digital first remains a key pillar, although financial viability, payment reforms (including dismantling block contracts) and balancing the budget are still priorities and key enablers for delivering the 10 Year Plan.
 
"Primary eye care can find some assurance in the clear commitment to put patients in control of their care, offering them more choice and empowering them to access care closer to home. While the use of non-evidence-based indicative activity plans remains a risk to enhanced eye care service provision, the latest planning framework helpfully sets out that ICBs must increase community health service capacity to meet growing demand, expected to be 3% nationally per year. We will be working with all PECS and LOCSU to ensure we use this and other strategic levers for the benefit of patients in local systems.
 
"Our members are the leading providers of primary eye care in England, and with them and our sector partners, we will continue to work together through strategic partnerships to protect and advance access to eye care services in the years ahead."
 
While welcoming and supporting the NHS's ambition to deliver faster care, Max Halford, ABDO clinical and policy director, said he was disappointed that "primary eye care, and the role of dispensing opticians in delivering this care, have not been explicitly recognised in the planning framework."
 
He added that General Optical Council research shows that 34% of dispensing opticians are already involved in delivering enhanced eye care services for their patients and play an important role in supporting long-term eye health as part of the multi-disciplinary eye care services team.

Speaking about the next steps, he said: "We must continue to work as a sector to ensure we tackle gaps in commissioning enhanced services, which is why as a member of the OFNC we published the recent joint statement with the College of Optometrists and will continue work to develop national frameworks that enable the NHS to deliver consistent eye care services at local level and tackle the current postcode lottery."
 
The College of Optometrists supported the plan's focus on tackling unwarranted variation across England. However, it expressed deep concern about the omission of primary eye care as a priority opportunity.
 
Dr Gillian Rudduck, college president, said: "This framework is a missed opportunity to commit to universal funding and commissioning of enhanced primary eye health pathways across England as a critical service in Neighbourhood Health Plans. Optometrists have the clinical skills to provide a wider range of enhanced eye care services in the community to meet patients' needs, including urgent eye care, pre- and post-cataract care, and glaucoma referral refinement services."
 
The AOP expressed its "disappointment that optometry has not been mentioned directly" and added there were "still many unknowns". 

At a glance

• BBC reports on the headlight glare caused by modern vehicle lights and the government's plan to tackle the vision issues this causes. It follows a campaign by the College of Optometrists, the RAC and other stakeholders.
• EssilorLuxottica reports strong growth, with its best quarter ever and revenue up 11.7%.
• The Royal College of Ophthalmologists has welcomed an initial review on medical training places, which it said highlights "challenges facing ophthalmology training".
• LOCSU has published its annual report, highlighting its increased focus on supporting LOCs locally.
• ABDO reports on the Older Drivers Forum's further support for a nationwide campaign where police forces check driver vision at the roadside.
• The Optician follows the launch of the new British Muslim Association of Optometrists (BMAO). The new membership body states it aims to celebrate and support the UK Muslim eye care community.
• RNIB raises concerns about blind and partially sighted people waiting over a year for vital assistance. 
• Moorfields announces that Peter Ridley will be its next permanent chief executive.
• Louisa Wickham, national clinical director for eye care, and Luke Nicholson, director of medical retinal services at Moorfields NHS Trust, have developed resources to support the use of biosimilars in ophthalmology. Read more
• Correction: In the member update on 17 October, we mistakenly said that ABDO was reporting on 'its' recent Eyes on Sustainability conference in Leicester. In fact, Optician and MA Healthcare organised the event.

Health policy updates

• Government welcomes role of independent sector in helping deliver 6.15 million NHS appointments. Health secretary Wes Streeting said: "I'll do everything I can to get NHS patients treated faster, free at the point of use. This is a principled, progressive position, not just a pragmatic one. We're not prepared to continue two-tier healthcare, when those who can afford it get treated on time, and those who can't are left behind. Wealth shouldn't determine health." David Hare, chief executive of?IHPN, said the independent sector was now "delivering around 10% of all NHS elective activity, and a record amount of appointments, tests and scans - all free at the point of use to patients."
• HSJ reports on new joint DHSC/NHSE leadership team. The team includes DHSC permanent secretary Samantha Jones, NHSE chief executive Sir Jim Mackey, and medical directors Dr Claire Fuller and Professor Meghana Pandit.
• NHS Providers and the NHS Confederation have now confirmed their merger, creating a single body that will represent NHS organisations across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It will launch a new membership offer in March 2026 and will start from 1 April. Read more
• BBC reports that the NHS in England may need as much as £3 billion in additional funding to cover redundancies, strikes and extra costs for medicines.
• Responding to a PQ, Stephen Kinnock suggests ICBs should work with local authorities to undertake a needs assessment to help plan local services.