VIRTUAL GUIDE TO THE GENERAL OPHTHALMIC SERVICES

Transcription

1 VIRTUAL GUIDE TO THE GENERAL OPHTHALMIC SERVICES Department of Health Guidance 1. Guidance on the General Ophthalmic Services Contract This guidance outlines the arrangements for Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to enter into and manage contracts of providers of General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) i.e. NHS funded sight tests Guidance on the Primary Ophthalmic Services Regulations This note provides guidance to Primary Care Trusts on the Primary Ophthalmic Services Regulations The Regulations set out who is entitled to an NHS funded sight test whether provided at a fixed optical practice or provided by way of mobile services at a day centre, residential centre or in an individual's own home. In the Regulations, sight tests at a fixed premises optical practice are referred to as "mandatory services" and sight tests at day centres, residential homes and individuals' own homes are referred to as "additional" services.

2 3. Guidance on the Primary Ophthalmic Services Transitional Regulations 2008 This note provides guidance to Primary Care Trusts on the transitional arrangements which were put in place in 2008 to facilitate the introduction of contracts between Primary Care Trusts and providers for the provision of NHS funded sight tests (defined as Mandatory and Additional Services in the relevant Regulations) and the creation of Ophthalmic Performers Lists. pdf 4. Guidance on the National Health Service (Performers List) Amendment Regulations 2008 This document provides guidance and best practice advice to Primary Care Trusts on the National Health Service (Performers Lists) Amendment Regulations These regulations amend the National Health Service Performers Lists Regulations 2004 and introduce local performer lists for primary ophthalmic services. Regulations 1. General Ophthalmic Services Contracts Regulations 2008 These Regulations set out, for England, the framework for general ophthalmic services contracts under section 117 of the National Health Service Act The Primary Ophthalmic Services Regulations 2008 These Regulations make provision for who is entitled to a primary ophthalmic services sight test under the National Health Service Act 2006, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the National Health Service Act

3 3. The National Health Service (Performers Lists) Amendment and Transitional Provisions Regulations 2008 These Regulations amend the National Health Service (Performers Lists) Regulations 2004 ( the Principal Regulations ) so as to provide for lists of persons performing primary ophthalmic care to be kept by Primary Care Trusts in accordance with the relevant provisions of the National Health Service Act National Health Service (Performers Lists) Regulations 2004 A consolidated version of these Regulations is available which incorporates the relevant provisions of the National Health Service (Performers Lists) Amendment and Transitional Provisions Regulations 2008 at item 3 above. As amended these Regulations provide for lists of persons performing primary medical, dental and optical care to be kept by Primary Care Trusts in accordance with the relevant provisions of the National Health Service Act The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 1997 These Regulations consolidate with amendments the National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 1989 ("the 1989 Regulations") which provide a scheme for payments to be made by Health Authorities and NHS trusts by means of a voucher system, in respect of costs incurred by certain categories of persons in connection with sight tests and the supply, replacement and repair of optical appliances. The National Health Service (Optical Charges and Payments) Regulations 1997 have been heavily amended since 1997 and relevant amendments may be found at:

4 Model Contract Documentation Model application forms and transitional documentation have been developed for PCTs to use. Follow the bulleted list from left to right at the web address below to locate the appropriate document for each application. Knowledgebase NHS PCC Subscribers can access all our Helpdesks and Knowledgebase materials. To search support articles and find answers to frequently asked questions, go to then click Knowledgebase and then Eye care / GOS. You will need to be registered as a subscriber and logged in to the PCC website.

5 Current Guidance NHS PCC publishes frequently updated topical guidance on eye care and the GOS on its website at There are four sub pages on: Legislation and guidance Eye Care Workforce Eye Care Strategic Commissioning Eye Care Shared Learning You will need to be registered as a subscriber and logged in to the PCC website to access this material. GOS Contract Compliance Framework PCC has now published its GOS Contract Compliance Framework. We have previously referred to this as the GOS Contract Monitoring Toolkit but we have agreed the change of name with the national optical professional bodies. The framework consists of six separate documents as follows: 1. Compliance framework introduction 2. Ophthalmic contract visit form 3. PPV protocol April a. PPV optical questionnaire 3b. Ophthalmic post-payment verification guidance 4. GOS compliance visit feedback form

6 Improving Eye Health Services A World Class Commissioning Guide This document is part of the ongoing Primary Care and Community Strategy to support the NHS in relation to World Class Commissioning and focuses on eye health services. It provides practical advice on how PCTs can: assess their current performance; identify their vision for the future and commission services that meet the needs of their local communities. Step by step guide to commissioning community eye care services This guide seeks to provide information and practical tools for PCTs and Practice Based Commissioners. Offering an analytical, 'how to' approach to some of the key issues in commissioning high quality eye care services locally, it will help: Practice Based Commissioners and PCTs take ownership of eye care commissioning priorities, mitigate commissioning risks and develop and evaluate alternative primary care eye services Assess, in simple terms, what the patient demand is on hospital eye care services Describe what alternatives there are to building capacity across the system to achieve the 18 Week referral to Treatment (RTT) target Describe what investment may be needed in primary care and any potential commissioning savings Develop skills and techniques to commission more effectively, including engaging patients and the public, making eye care services more accessible for an aging population Making Accurate Claims The AOP, together with ABDO and FODO, have produced a new version of Making Accurate Claims in England. The document gives clear advice to optometrists and dispensing opticians (as well as PCTs) on how to avoid errors when claiming for GOS work.

7 Quality in Optometry This is a toolkit for clinical governance in optometric practice. This site hosts two Clinical Governance toolkits (England and Wales) which have been developed jointly by AOP, FODO, ABDO and the College. The optical bodies believe these should become models for clinical governance in England and Wales. Vouchers At A Glance This ready reckoner style guide is widely used in optical practices and is produced by the national optical bodies in laminated hard copy format. It contains a great deal of concentrated information about sight test and voucher codes and values, sight test frequencies and early retest reason codes. It is updated annually so make sure that the version you are using is for the current financial year. The version is available at: