AOP to issue new fraud advice

Members were told of the news by Peter Yeo, the AOP's chairman of the public affairs committee, at the association's annual general meeting held last week. 'We will update our advice, make it consistent with the views of the Department of Health, and issue new advice to all our members so there can be no doubt about how [General Ophthalmic Services] claims should be made and payments received,' he said. He added that the association's experience last year was that there were many different interpretations of the regulations between health authorities and that the time had come for a 'unified approach'. Mr Yeo thanked the DoH for its work with the AOP on a number of issues, including the revision of the GOS forms. However, he admitted to the AGM that the revision had 'not been a complete success'. 'Future revision should be test-marketed in one or two health authorities before finalising the working format,' he said. 'The association will make such a proposal to the DoH.' A consultation document, produced with other bodies associated with the profession, will also be sent to all members on 'the future of optometry', the AGM was told by AOP president Sir Richard Meyjes in his opening address. 'The aim is to produce a consultation document which will be sent to all members of the profession for comment, input and support,' he said. 'Eventually a policy blueprint ... will emerge.'