14 November 2025

FODO member update – 14 November

This week:

• FODO insurance costs 2026
• OFNC update
• Update on WGOS fees
• MHRA approves eye drops for myopia management
• GOC publishes optical education report
• Applications open for NESGAT training
• INSIGHT welcomes investment in vast eye imaging resource
• At a glance
• Health policy news

FODO insurance costs 2026

We are in the final stages of confirming insurance costs for 2026. We expect insurance prices to remain unchanged from 2025. However, we need to wait for the outcome of the Budget to rule out any changes in insurance premium tax before we can confirm the cost per FTE. We will confirm the final costs in annual renewal letters shortly after the Budget. 

OFNC update

The OFNC has published an update to explain the delay in confirming 2025/26 fees in England. Read more. 

Update on WGOS fees

Following our 17 October update confirming an increase to 2025/26 WGOS fees, OW has now uploaded fee directions onto its website which you can access here. 

MHRA approves eye drops for myopia management

The MHRA regulatory agency has approved the use of the first low-dose atropine eye drops for treating childhood myopia.
 
Ryjunea is currently a prescription-only medicine (POM). Only independent prescribers (IP), such as IP optometrists and ophthalmologists skilled in paediatric myopia management, can prescribe within their scope of practice.
 
Initially, the drug will be available only for private prescribing. NICE is awaiting ministerial approval to commence a technology appraisal. Read more in Clarity. 

GOC publishes optical education report

The GOC has published its UK Optical Education 2025 Report, which outlines its approved qualifications and provides an analysis of education and training, as well as a commentary on sector developments.  
 
The report shows a steady growth in admissions to optometry qualifications (1,201 in 2024/25 compared with 1,114 in 2023/24), while admissions to dispensing optics qualifications have declined slightly (from 338 to 316). The total number of IP students has decreased by 20% since the 2022/23 academic year.
 
Most education and training providers have now adapted to the GOC's new education and training requirements (ETR) for entry-level qualifications. However, four out of six IP qualifications are yet to start teaching their first ETR cohorts. Read more. 

Applications open for NESGAT training

The Scottish government has continued to drive forward with the rollout of the Community Glaucoma Service (CGS). The aim is for it to be live in all areas, excluding Orkney, by March 2026 and for all health boards to have discharged at least 70% of eligible patients from hospital eye services to community glaucoma services by March 2027.
 
To provide sufficient capacity to manage patients discharged to the CGS, a fifth cohort of NESGAT training has been scheduled. This training will run from June 2026 to February 2027. The deadline for applications is 31 December 2025. Find out more. 

INSIGHT welcomes investment in vast eye imaging resource

The INSIGHT data research hub, which houses the world's largest collection of eye images and linked clinical data, has received investment funding of £3.7 million from two research bodies. INSIGHT will use the money to expand the initiative, which its founders say will foster innovation and lead to improved patient care. Read more in Clarity. 

At a glance

• Teesside University has announced a £2.2 million expansion of its optometry facilities to training and community eye care, Tees Business reports.
• The British and Irish Orthoptic Society (BIOS) has launched an evaluation of child vision screening in the UK and Ireland. Read more
• The SightCare Awards, which recognise innovation and achievement in the optical community, are now open for entries.  
• The RNIB has appointed two new trustees, Anouschka Elliott and Andy Barry, OT reports
• North Yorkshire town crier thanks vigilant optician for saving her sight, The Northern Echo reports.

Health policy news

Green light for NHS redundancies

The health secretary, Wes Streeting, has given NHS leaders the go-ahead for a 50% reduction in headcounts in integrated care boards (ICBs).

Speaking at the NHS Providers conference in Manchester, Mr Streeting said: "We're now pushing down on the accelerator and slashing unnecessary bureaucracy, to reinvest the savings in frontline care."

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) says the reforms will generate £1 billion a year in savings by the next parliament, which will be invested in frontline services to enhance patient care.

Mr Streeting had hoped for emergency money from the Treasury to fund the redundancies in ICBs and NHS England. However, the Chancellor refused his request, instead allowing the DHSC to take £1 billion from this year's budget, The Guardian reported.

He also said the government would bring NHS England back under the DHSC's control within two years.
 
Block contract payments have had their day
 
Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, said that payments made through block contracts were not working. He was speaking at the King's Fund shortly after the publication of the medium-term planning framework, which proposes 'unbundling' the contracts to facilitate moving more care from hospitals to the community.
 
David Hewlett, FODO Group's director of policy and strategy, said block contracts should end because they "reduce incentives to tackle waiting lists" and had caused the NHS to "lose sight of what it is providing and commissioning, as well as data quality, specificity and standards". Read more in Clarity.