Anger marks launch of minister's GOS review

Health minister Rosie Winterton fired the starting pistol for the long awaited GOS review this week - and immediately enraged the profession's representatives.

The review, which will be completed early next year, has been touted by the Department as a way of increasing choice for patients and improving optical services.

Nine wide-ranging themes will be taken into account (see below), further stretching the optical workforce's contribution to the NHS.
However, with no new money being proposed - improved remuneration for sight testing will not be discussed - and claims that there is a lack of adequate communication emerging from the DoH ophthalmic services unit, the AOP, FODO and ABDO were up in arms about the review within hours of its launch.

Added to the simmering anger over the Government's plans to alter GOS budget arrangements through the Health Improvement and Protection Bill, which remain crucially unresolved, this week's announcement amounted to a red rag to a bull to optics' leaders.

The professional bodies spoke enviously of the treatment of other professions, and claimed the launch of the review had been furtively made.
'The Department of Health has been promising the UK optical sector a review of GOS for years,' said a spokesman for all three bodies. 'The announcement of the review a year ago would have been welcome.  But to sneak it out over the August Bank Holiday, when many people are away, cannot fail to arouse suspicion. 

'The Government has already said it plans to try to take "wide-ranging powers" in new legislation this autumn which could destroy the current UK optics market and the high standards, choice and accessibility it offers to NHS patients.  

'In the case of GPs, dentists and pharmacists, the Department worked jointly until they reached agreed ways forward before introducing new legislation. There was also significant new investment. It appears optics is not to be given the same opportunities.'
Launching the review, Winterton emphasised that patients could, for instance, have their recurring eye problems monitored at their local optician rather than their hospital.

'The review will consider how NHS ophthalmic services can build on current arrangements to improve service to patients,' she said. 'By allowing primary care trusts to contract optical services from a wider range of providers, patients will benefit from greater access to optical primary care services.

'This is an example of how the NHS is becoming more patient-led and offering patients more convenient and closer-to-home services. The White Paper consultation on improving community health and care services - Your Health, Your Care, Your Say - will ask the public what changes they want to see that will ensure that services are better tailored to patients' needs.'

Health secretary Patricia Hewitt announced that White Paper consultation this summer.