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College to run minor eye conditions assessment days

Education
Plans have been announced by the College of Optometrists to significantly increase the number of Minor Eye Conditions Service (Mecs) practical assessments across England

Plans have been announced by the College of Optometrists to significantly increase the number of Minor Eye Conditions Service (Mecs) practical assessments across England.

The College said it would be working with Locsu and Wales Optometry Postgraduate Education Centre (Wopec) to run additional practical assessments to meet demand from the profession.

It will now host Part 2 assessment events, increasing the number of places available to optometrists. Wopec already provides Mecs Part 1 online training, funded by Locsu, and will continue to work with LOCs and commissioners to run its Osce Part 2 assessments.

Katrina Venerus, Locsu managing director, said: ‘The new Breakthrough Strategy for the sector aims to make MECS central to every LOC and practice around the country. For our part, as a profession, we have to push ahead and show CCGs that we have a ready and able workforce that is committed to playing a wider role within the NHS, particularly to meet the increased eye health services.

‘We are grateful for the support from the College of Optometrists and Wopec to help us achieve this by getting the workforce on the front foot and ready to deliver these services.’

The assessment will be a practical exam in the form of five individually assessed stations. Each station lasts five minutes and will assess competencies in areas such as communication, clinical skills and data interpretation. To date, around 3,000 optometrists have completed the Mecs online training and 1,300 have undertaken the Osce assessments.

Jackie Martin, director of education at the College of Optometrists, said: ‘The College already successfully runs large-scale practical assessments through the Osce for the Scheme for Registration, so we have the experience and understanding to be able to offer the MECs assessment to a large number of optometrists.

‘As well as providing a valuable service to the profession at a key time in the development of community service provision, with the MECs qualification being a first step on the higher qualification ladder, we will also be looking at additional ways the College can support its members who undertake this assessment in preparation for working in community services.’

The College assessment will run at centres in Manchester and London on the days of August 18 and 24, costing £135.