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Sheffield LOC Meeting 18 October 2005
Present: Robert Hughes, Alex Gage, Will Walters, Shirley Blundell, Gerry Cowley, Jon Stokes, David Shepherd
In Attendance: Christine Hagin
Apologies: David Inman, Sue Stentiford, Mike Daybell, Jon Whittle, David Timmins
1. Minutes of the last meeting
The minutes of the last meeting held on 19th September 2005 were accepted as a correct record.
2. Matters arising
(i) Children’s eye screening – General assessment guidance on vision at all ages. 59 practices were questioned. All of them are willing to examine children of four years and older. The referral criteria are currently for children aged 8 and over. The committee agreed that this could be lowered to school entrance age. The Committee agreed that parents should be given the choice to see an optom in their community, or an orthoptist. Fees to remain the same as the normal NHS sight test although an extra test to be scheduled for cyclopegia. Shirley Blundell is to prepare a proposal to be presented to the next OJPG committee meeting. Jon Stokes and Shirley to liase around this.
(ii) NOC feedback – Advise from the AOP is that optoms should lobby against the capping and localisation of the GOS fee. Alex Gage has arranged a visit with his local MP, as has Mike Daybell. Jon Stokes is to write to all optoms regarding this and to refer them to the LOC website. Alex to update website and provide appropriate links.
(iii) Patients choice – Letter from Linda Lyddament saying Sheffield PCT’s won’t pay for post cateract surgery appointments for non Sheffield patients. Gerry Cowley to write to L Liddament to find out more.
(iv) DESP meeting – discussion re: proposed patient information leaflets. These are to be rewritten. The committee had concerns over some of the terminology and agreed they would want “full eye examination by your optometrist” to replace the term “Sight test for spectacles”
(v) Extra capital money has become available (to be spent before March 2006). The LOC committee would want the money to be held back until next year and be used towards more cameras.
Questions to be raised at the next DESP meeting:
- When is the patient information going out?
- Confirmation re start date
- When patients are currently attending under the old scheme, will the optoms still be paid for this after the new scheme is started?
Will Walters agreed to forward all the info he has on current patient information leaflets to the LOC committee for their comments.
(vi) Low Vision Group – David shepherd gave feedback. LV1 forms will be changed. The OJPG committee have asked the LOC committee to represent a proposal for a LVG scheme that will fit in with the National Guidelines. The LOC committee agreed to form a subcommittee, to include Norman Creighton, who will organise the representation of the scheme. Alex Gage and David Shepherd to be on this committee.
(vii) PCT feedback from Alex Gage – The likelihood is that there will not be 4 PCTs in Sheffield. It is possible there will be two PCTs. One will be a commissioning PCT and one will be a providing PCT. It isn’t clear when this will happen.
(viii) Glaucoma – a scheme is being piloted in Sheffield South West. Patients will be asked to attend for referral refinement for glaucoma. This scheme will run until the end of March 2006.
(ix) Referrals –
- Eye casualty – optoms to phone or fax first. Jon Whittle is to add this information to letter to optoms.
- Cataract referrals – Optoms to use GOS18 forms for this when there are other issues involved. For example, when the patient has suspect glaucoma and cateracts
3. Correspondence
Letter from Linda Lyddament as discussed in 2 iii.
4. Any other Business
1. Website – The committee agreed to making the website viewable to NHS Staff.
2. LOC Committee Secretary – Jon Stokes was appointed secretary. He was proposed by Robert Hughes and seconded by Alex Gage. It was agreed that Jon should have a separate email for correspondence.
3. Gerry to oversee web site.
5. Date for next meeting:
Monday January 16th 2006 at The Rutland Arms, Brown Street, at 7.00pm.