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A 'primary care toolkit' will be launched at the AOP's annual conference in October.

The kit is designed to help practitioners take advantage of the changes being introduced to healthcare commissioning by new NHS systems - payment by results and practice based commissioning.

The AOP believe the kit, to be unveiled at the National Optometric Conference in York on October 6, can help practitioners present blueprints for the transfer of secondary care services into the primary care sector, utilising optometry.

Practice-based commissioning, in which GPs receive an indicative budget from PCTs to directly commission care and services for the specific needs of patients, is intended to encourage innovative delivery of healthcare. It is expected that optometrists will be involved in this service.

In its May newsletter, Patricia O'Sullivan, AOP head of professional services, writes: 'At the NOC we will bring the Primary Care Resource Pack to life with a series of practical and informative sessions designed to give every LOC the "toolkit" they need to bring an increased range of eye care provision to their area.'

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