05 December 2025

FODO member update - 5 December

This week:

• ICB pauses patient choice
• Urgent action required to prevent sight loss in Wales
• New Royal College president elected
• FODO opening hours over the festive period
• At a glance
• Health policy news

ICB pauses patient choice

Cheshire and Merseyside ICB has decided to impose a "temporary suspension of elective ophthalmology referrals" to independent sector providers (ISPs).
 
In a December update, the ICB explained that it believes ISPs are seeing too many patients. It goes on to assert that this is "having a destabilising effect on services provided by the NHS".  
 
The update highlights potential confusion at an ICB level regarding NHS provision, NHS bodies, NHS-commissioned services, and the Provider Selection Regime (PSR). It also appears that the ICB currently regards offering patients a choice of "a minimum of five NHS providers" will ensure compliance with regulations.
 
It is unclear whether the ICB's proposed changes will be free from regulatory challenge, given that the consultant-led services in question are awarded under direct award process B (under the PSR), which can only be used where there is unrestricted patient choice of provider for a service. 

Urgent action required to prevent sight loss in Wales

The Senedd's Health and Social Care Committee has warned that immediate action is needed to address delays in ophthalmology services to prevent avoidable sight loss across Wales. Its inquiry report calls for action within months, not years.
 
Dan McGhee, FODO director, told the inquiry that the new primary care contract was helping more practices offer services that helped prevent patients from needing hospital treatment. He highlighted the benefits for patients in rural areas who might have found it challenging to reach a hospital. 
 
The committee acknowledged that recent primary eye care reforms have delivered benefits, including already moving 3,000 appointments per month from hospital to community. The inquiry also welcomed investment in cataract surgery but noted that more needs to be done to address "systemic weaknesses" in the hospital eye care service.
 
The report calls for investment in ophthalmology roles and in improved estate and equipment, including enhanced digital solutions, to enable hospitals to work more effectively.

Read the report
Read the summary

New Royal College president elected

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists has announced the election of Mohamed Elalfy as its next president.

Mr Elalfy works at the Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and offers private care. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists in London, the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow, the European Board of Ophthalmology, and the International Council of Ophthalmology. He is a member of the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, the European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons and EuCornea.

Professor Ben Burton will officially hand over the office of president to Mr Elafy at the College AGM in May 2026.

FODO opening hours over the festive period

Our operating hours for the Christmas and New Year period are:

•  25-26 December: Closed
• 1 January: Closed

Members who need support outside hours should email [email protected]. We will respond within 48 hours and provide a contact number if your query is urgent and requires a same-day response.
 
Please note: FODO news will be taking a short break, with 19 December the last newsletter in 2025. We will return on 9 January.

At a glance

• Congratulations to Sharon Beatty, outgoing clinical adviser for Optometry Wales, on winning a special recognition award for her exceptional contribution to the profession. Read more in Clarity
• Hakim Group offers awards, inspiration and entertainment at its weekend retreat. Read more in Clarity
• Specsavers has credited cross-sector efforts in setting up a dispensing optician (DO) apprenticeship for helping to reverse a decline in the number of people training for the role. Read more in Clarity
• ECOO welcomes the new driving licence requirements. Learn more
• The OSA welcomed James Conway as its new chair at today's AGM
• LOCSU reports on a successful first Member Development Day. Read more
• The Gloucester-based lens manufacturer Norville will cease production next week after its owner, Inspecs, closed the business, Optician reports
• Last call today for applications for a BCLA fellowship, which recognises excellence in contact lens and anterior eye care
• Gavin Berkerey has joined ABDO in the newly created position of communications and engagement director. Read more.

Health policy news

Doctors announce pre-Christmas strike

Sir Jim Mackey, chief executive of NHS England, described as "cruel and calculated" a decision by resident doctors to strike in the run-up to Christmas, from 17 to 22 December, the HSJ reported.

Earlier in the week, Wes Streeting, the health secretary, said the timing was bad given the winter pressures on the NHS, and that the strike could risk patient safety.

The BMA argues that the 5.4% pay rise offer for 2025-26 is insufficient to address years of real-terms pay erosion since 2008. Doctors have received a 28.9% pay rise in recent years, but the government has ruled out a further pay rise this year.

UK strikes deal with US on price of medicines

The UK reached an agreement with the UK to pay more for medicines in return for zero-per cent tariffs on pharmaceuticals imported from the UK. Under the deal, NICE will increase the price threshold at which it deems new treatments affordable by 25%. The Nuffield Trust think tank expects the decision will cost the NHS an additional £3 billion a year.

NHS leaders backed the government's assessment that the "landmark" agreement would lead to many more patients receiving groundbreaking new drugs. Read the BBC report.