06 March 2026

FODO member update – 6 March

This week:

• Challenges of cross-border healthcare
• Moorfields AI spinout partners with high street optician
• GOC meets all 18 good regulation standards
• ABDO appoints two regional leads
• DO college earns Ofsted praise
• Get ready for national living and minimum wages changes
• At a glance
• Health policy news

Challenges of cross-border healthcare

A Welsh Affairs Committee inquiry is looking into challenges faced by people accessing cross-border healthcare, after previous reports that some people have faced difficulties accessing medical records, transport and hospital referrals.  

We ask members that work in England and Wales who may have experienced cross-border challenges to give feedback via this form by 11 March. 

Moorfields AI spinout partners with high street optician

A collaboration between medtech AI company Cascader, a Moorfields and UCL spinout, and Specsavers aims to advance oculomics by effectively implementing innovative machine learning into optometric practice.

Cascader will also work with OCT devices manufacturer Topcon Healthcare, whose new Healthcare Innovation Centre (THINC) in London will focus on accelerating oculomics development and adoption. Read more in Clarity. 

GOC meets all 18 good regulation standards

The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA) has published its 2024-25 review of the GOC, which met all 18 of its Standards of Good Regulation for the fourth year in a row.
 
The PSA praised the council's strong equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) commitment and broad understanding of patient vulnerability. Although it identified fitness-to-practise case handling and other improvements, the GOC still met the required threshold. Read more in Clarity. 

ABDO appoints two regional leads

Two new regional leads for the North of England have joined ABDO - Lynda Matthias, representing Yorkshire and the North East, and Daniel Green, leading for the North West. Read more in Clarity. 

DO college earns Ofsted praise

Ofsted has praised ABDO College for its apprenticeship provision in a recent 'new provider' inspection, highlighting its strong leadership, the quality of its curriculum and its commitment to inclusion and safeguarding. Read more. 

Get ready for national living and minimum wages changes

Reminder: The national living wage for workers aged 21 and over will rise by 50p to £12.71 from 1 April, while the minimum wage for 18-20-year-olds will increase by 85p to £10.85. Read more. 

At a glance

• The GOC seeks to appoint four new members to its advisory panel. Members will be paid up to £185 per meeting.
• ABDO's regional lead for Northern Ireland reflects on the past year and considers what lies ahead for the profession. Read more.
• The MHRA has authorised the use of Bayer's aflibercept 8 mg (Eylea®) for treating visual impairment due to macular oedema secondary to retinal vein occlusion. Read more.
• A former Moorfields volunteer explains how she went from friend to research fellow. Read more.
• Optometry Scotland encourages members to read a new document on developing a data set for referrals from community optometry to the Hospital Eye Service (HES).
• Health Improvement Scotland publishes its updated diabetic eye screening standards, which it offers to people over 12 who have diabetes.  
• Optometry Scotland learns from the Welsh optometry model as it works towards a Community Low Vision Service (CVLS). Read the OS blog

Health policy news

New health minister

The government has appointed Sharon Hodgson as the new public health and prevention minister, following Ashley Dalton's resignation from ministerial duties due to ill health. Ms Hodgson, who represents Washington and Gateshead South, was elected in 2005.

Eye care measures in Wales

Welsh government figures show 157,367 high-risk patients waiting for an eye care outpatient appointment in January 2026, with around half exceeding their target date. Read more.