FODO member update – 5 June
This week:
- Important action for all FODO business members – OFNC survey
- GOC signs up to race equity shared principles
- Glaucoma webinar reminder
- Ophthalmic payments update
- Scotland PCA notice
- Obituaries
- Digital care for blind and vision impaired
- At a glance
- Health policy news
Important action for all FODO business members – OFNC survey
A reminder that all GOS contractors in England are asked to complete an online OFNC survey, which aims to gather evidence about unfunded activity ahead of the latest round of fees discussions with ministers and officials.
A statement from the OFNC this week said that it receives regular feedback from GOS contractors indicating that continued below-inflation increases to fees are seriously threatening their ability to provide pro-bono NHS services.
As FODO members deliver over 80% of all GOS in England please ensure you respond to this confidential survey as soon as possible. The survey closes on 22 June.
GOC signs up to race equity shared principles
The GOC is now one of nine signatories of the Workforce Race Equity in Health and Social Care: Shared Principles for Regulators. Leonie Milliner, chief executive and registrar, said of the signing: “Racism and discrimination have no place in healthcare. Addressing racial inequality is essential to building a regulatory environment that is fair, inclusive and trusted, and adopting these shared principles is an important step in strengthening collective action across the sector.” Read more.
There are still places for FODO members to attend the joint sector webinar, Glaucoma Care Reimagined: Empowering Primary Care Optometry, exploring how primary care optometry can play a fuller role across the glaucoma pathway.
The webinar, which brings together FODO, The College of Optometrists, LOCSU, AOP and ABDO, is on Tuesday 30 June at 7.30pm.
Some members previously reported challenges registering. The college has now fixed the issue. If you are not a college member you can use this link to register.
PCSE has published information about forthcoming changes to the ophthalmic payments system, relating to recording details of students assisting with sight tests, which will be introduced in July subject to final testing. The system will be available for testing from 26 June to 9 July. Read the information in full.
NHS Scotland has written to primary care optometry with important administrative updates. These include the introduction of a new data access system, enhancements to optometry practice information on NHS Inform and a reminder to optometrists not to refer patients for cataracts earlier than clinically necessary.
We recommend practice owners in Scotland read the document in full.
Members can refer to the FAQs for support following the changes made to GOS in Scotland on 1 August 2025 and 19 January 2026.
FODO is sorry to hear about the recent deaths of two esteemed academics whose contributions to sector were exceptional. We offer our warmest sympathies to their friends and families.
Professor Mohammed Jalie (1941-2026)
A dispensing optician and ophthalmic lens innovator, Professor Jalie was the man behind The Principles of Ophthalmic Lenses, a set text for FBDO (Hons) students that is now in its sixth addition. David Hewlett, FODO’s director of policy and strategy, described him as “a great man, committed teacher and a credit to both his profession and his family”.
Read more in Clarity.
Professor Nicholas Bosanquet (1942-2026)
A visionary health economist, Professor Bosanquet was not afraid to challenge received wisdom, arguing long before others that the NHS would have to change to survive, through shifting care out of hospital into the community.
As professor of health policy at Imperial College London, he was the author of several reports that recognised the value of community optometry, including Developing a new partnership contract for community eye care in England and Liberating the NHS: Eye Care Making a Reality of Equity and Excellence. His work with the sector helped protect the national GOS contract and made the case for expanding enhanced eye care services.
Digital care for blind and vision impaired
The APPG on Eye Health and Visual Impairment is running a survey on how blind and vision impaired people navigate digital eye care, focussing on the NHS app. Clinicians, patients, and accessibility specialists and policymakers are invited to complete the survey by 3 July. You can find the link here.
- Early bird tickets are on sale for the University of Huddersfield Annual Optical Conference on 6 September. Register here.
- The BCLA reports on its 2026 Asia Conference, which brought together contact lens researchers, academics and industry leaders in Tokyo. Read more.
- ABDO has appointed Brenda Rennie, already an examiner and practice visitor for the organisation, as its new president. She succeeds Kevin Gutsell.
- The World Council of Optometry has announced its 2026-2028 standing committee chairs: Professor Vanessa Moodley, Dr Roger Jordan and Ntombikayise Zitha. Read more.
- Glaucoma UK has appointed Professor Celia Fenerty as its chair of trustees, replacing Professor Sir Anthony King, who has stepped down, Optician reports.
- Sheraz Daya, founder and medical director of Centre for Sight, has performed a glaucoma treatment that requires no surgical incision for the first time in the UK.
- Building work is complete on the Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital, part of a regeneration scheme in the city centre, which will open this summer. Read more.
- Eyenews reports on a two-in-one surgical procedure for glaucoma and cataract called ‘Phaco-plus’, which is gaining traction in the UK.
- SeeAbility has achieved a Guinness World Record title for the most participants featured on a live portrait installation in 48 hours. More than 800 people turned up at Tower Bridge in London.
New Health Bill: call for evidence
Parliament has issued a call for evidence on the Health Bill. Its main purpose is to abolish NHS England and transfer its functions to ICBs or the DHSC.
The Bill had its second reading in Parliament this week. The Public Bill Committee will meet for the first time on 16 June to scrutinise it.
Shockat Adam, optometrist and MP for Leicester South, sought reassurance that new commissioning responsibilities for primary care would not lead to the cancellation of local community urgent eye care services.
He added: “I urge the Government to ensure that the single patient record supports consistent clinical decision making across the glaucoma pathway, and that integrated care boards are required, not merely permitted, to commission those procedures.”
Wendy Morton, MP for Aldridge-Brownhills, hoped the changes would not result in a “postcode lottery” in the provision of NHS sight tests, describing them as a “universal entitlement”.
James Murray, the secretary of state for health, responded by saying that “local services are already commissioned locally in many cases”.
While the Bill refers to Primary Ophthalmic Services (POS), as per FODO’s 15 May update, the government has already confirmed its commitment to continuing to commission GOS, as now, in accordance with national contracts.
Members with any questions about the Bill, can write to [email protected].