What you should expect from the latest General Ophthalmic Services fees increase

There was public disappointment but little breast beating or table thumping at the government’s imposition of a one per cent increase in GOS fees and voucher values. It’s true that some areas of primary care have seen increases in funding but many other areas of the NHS, notably dentists, hospitals and GPs have come under pressure to reduce costs. Privately some of those within the sector have expressed the view that optics may not have done that badly.

The long process started back in January when the OFNC put in its bid to NHS England for GOS fees and other matters. Its opening gambit wasn’t a huge headline figure for an increase in the sight test fee. It led with a reiteration of what optometry and retail optics can do for the NHS and optometry’s role as the most cost-effective intervention in the NHS.