FODO member update – 3 July
This week:
- Survey shows public confidence in primary eye care
- GOS ophthalmic payments updates
- Free webinars for FODO member HR and H&S leads
- Mobile eye service thrives
- Optician survey
- At a glance
- Health policy news
Survey shows public confidence in primary eye care
The GOC published its annual public perceptions survey, which shows that most people (89%) remained satisfied with their overall experience of primary eye care.
Almost all (94%) respondents also reported being confident they received a high standard of care from their optometrist/optician; 76% were satisfied with the overall value for money; and 72% with the experience of buying optical appliances.
The latest data also shows that 41% of respondents would first seek help from an optometrist for an eye problem (up from 36% last year), compared with 23% who would go to a GP and 13% who would ask a pharmacist. While 89% of survey respondents were satisfied with how long they had to wait for appointments, the most common reason for not visiting primary eye care first was because of not being able to access an appointment on the same day.
The GOC also asked questions about driving and vision, with 15% saying they would definitely be put off visiting if their optometrist were required to automatically notify the DVLA or DVA that they fell below the standard for safe driving.
Michael Guthrie, director of policy and regulation at FODO, said: “This is the latest evidence to show how primary eye care is delivering high-quality care and value for money for patients across the UK. The data for Wales and Scotland also shows that when the NHS commissions enhanced services consistently and supports access to them, patients will visit their optometrist first, which will reduce pressure on GP colleagues. We will continue to advocate for fair funding and the expansion of enhanced services for all, so that everyone has equitable access to care.”
Read more in Clarity.
GOS ophthalmic payments updates
PCSE has published its latest ophthalmic payments bulletin. Key updates include more information on the minimum interval check (MIC) process and the use of early retest codes in PCSE Online. The bulletin also covers GOS3 voucher processing, bulk signing of GOS claims, arrangements for claiming the optometry supervisor grant, and more. Members in England are advised to read the full PCSE bulletin.
Free webinars for FODO member HR and H&S leads
FODO members can benefit from two free webinars given by our employment experts at WorkNest:
- Tackling toxic workplace behaviour: Practical strategies for employers – 30 July at 2pm.
This practical webinar will help employers identify toxic workplace behaviour early, intervene with confidence and create a culture where harmful behaviours are less likely to thrive. Register here. - RIDDOR Reporting: What employers get wrong and how to get it right – 6 August at 2pm.
Failing to report an incident, or reporting it incorrectly, can create compliance and legal risks. In this webinar, health and safety experts will help you make confident decisions and strengthen your incident management processes. Register here.
FODO practice members can also access a wide range of HR and health and safety (H&S) support by emailing [email protected] or phoning 01244 688422.
Vision Care’s Yorkshire Mobile Vision Service has delivered 150 eye tests since it opened in the spring, offering free eye care, glasses and practical advice to people who face barriers to care because of their experiences of homelessness.
Marking Small Charity Week, Hannah Telfer, Vision Care’s chief executive, said: “Our service takes eye care into trusted local spaces. That means people can get support in an environment where they feel safe, welcomed and respected.” Read more in Clarity.
Optician magazine has launched its annual workplace and careers survey and will publish the results in September. Members who complete the survey are eligible to win £100 in gift vouchers.
- NEI researchers in the US have launched a multi-centre randomised clinical trial to evaluate whether glasses, atropine drops or a combination of the two can slow myopia progression in children. Read more.
- Registration is open for seven regional optical conferences in November, offering best-practice advice and networking opportunities, LOCSU reports.
- ABDO has launched a pay and reward resources hub to help members understand how their salaries compare with those in similar roles. Read more.
- ABDO is offering Level 6 dispensing optician apprenticeships through a new partnership with Plymouth University. Read more.
- From 1 July 2026, supervision arrangements for the Scheme for Registration will align with the model already used in Clinical Learning in Practice (CLiP), reports The College of Optometrists.
- The Royal College of Ophthalmologists has welcomed the government’s announcement that it will create 4,500 additional medical training places in England for resident doctors. Read more.
- PES has rolled out digitally enabled and clinician-led referral management in North West England, OT reports.
- A new partnership between Newmedica and Cardiff University will provide work-based training opportunities for optometrists in Wales.
- Samantha Gough, captain of the England Women’s Blind Football team, has been awarded an MBE in the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours for services to sport and to the visually impaired community. Read more.
Patient choice in policy versus practice
The Independent Health Providers Network has published a report, ‘The choice gap: why patient choice exists in policy but not always in practice’. It shows that the right of NHS patients to choose, as set out in the NHS Choice Framework, is not consistently delivered in practice.
Its survey of more than 800 GPs found that 56% agreed that offering patients a choice of provider was important for delivering good care, while just 18% disagreed. However, only a third (36%) said they “always” or “often” mentioned to patients that they had a choice when making a referral.
Although 27% of GPs reported that a patient’s preference not to choose was a barrier to discussing choice, 68% cited local referral pathways (e.g. single point of access systems); limited time during consultations (67%); the complexity of referral pathways (66%); or a lack of clear or accessible information, for example, on waiting times or providers (64%). Read the report.
NHS England seeks more efficient use of primary care space
Penny Dash, chair of NHS England, said that the organisation was reviewing how space was used in primary care, estimating that the health service had roughly “twice as much” primary care estate as it required.
She acknowledged that GP surgeries were often busy. However, she said that space could be used more efficiently at quieter times, especially as fewer people were attending general practices for appointments, with more appointments being handled by phone. Read more.
Daro Bjayou, policy officer at FODO, said: “The chair of NHS England is right. The NHS must do better at making best use of existing capacity. We have warned successive governments not to waste scarce capital budgets by building duplicate capacity, and to instead put more money into frontline care by commissioning services from existing primary eye care and audiology providers.”
Doctors accept government offer to end strikes
Resident doctors have voted to accept the government’s pay offer, ending three years of strikes, according to the BBC. They will receive an average pay rise of 6.6%, to be fully implemented by April 2027.
GOC consultation on fees
A reminder that the GOC discussion paper on setting registrant fees seeks views on whether fees paid by different groups of registrants should vary according to the costs of regulating them and other factors. Please send your feedback to [email protected].