Fees negotiating committee disappointed by imposition of 1% increase in GOS payments

Deep disappointment has been expressed by the Optical Fees Negotiating Committee over the imposition of a one per cent increase in General Ophthalmic Service fees by the Government.

Talks to agree an increase in fees have been ongoing since last year with the OFNC submitting a comprehensive and reasoned bid for GOS fees, optical vouchers and other matters such as the Continuing Education and Training grant for optometrists and fees for pre-reg supervisors in January.

This proposed a 2.5 per cent increase in the GOS sight test fee, a 3.5 per cent increase in voucher values, a 2.5 per cent increase in the CET grant and a £1,000 increase in the pre-reg supervisor payment. The OFNC also took the opportunity to highlight other issues such as the role optometry could play in primary care, outline its response to the NHS England’s Improving eye health and preventing avoidable sight loss – a call to action and  a reiteration of the its bid for improving IT connectivity between optometry and the NHS.