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Primary care trusts are being urged not to insert extra clauses in the new GOS contract or cause further confusion by sending out the wrong paperwork to contractors.

A legislative update published on the NHS Primary Care Contracting (PCC) website addressed to PCTs also advises that they should not seek 'unnecessary' information during the transitional period.

The notice states that the DoH, PCC and the optical bodies have received a 'significant number of enquiries' in relation to the introduction of the new contracts on August 1 2008.

The advisory note states: 'Letters sent to contractors and those on the supplementary list should not be used to insert new requirements. This will only confuse everyone. Those currently on a supplementary list are entitled to an automatic transfer to the performers list and this entitlement should not be made conditional, for example by requiring the signing of a new declaration. The DoH view is that by accepting the transfer the practitioner is accepting all relevant undertakings.'

According to the PCC advice, which has been agreed with the optical bodies, concerns have centred on the following areas:

• PCTs inserting additional questions or requirements in the contract, or using the transitional arrangements as a general information gathering exercise
• The inclusion of a requirement for CRB checks for practitioners currently on the supplementary list or the contractors list. PCTs should not insist on this requirement unless there is genuine new cause for concern
• The inclusion of a requirement for practitioners themselves to carry professional insurance. The advisory note points out that this is not a requirement but practitioners must ensure that those carrying out GOS sight tests for them are covered
• PCTs seeking to 'artificially truncate' the agreed timescale laid down in regulations for the transitional period.

The note ends with a recommendation that if PCTs are concerned about any of the forms they should contact the PCC authorities and 'not act unilaterally'.

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