The profession has received encouraging written signals from the Department of Health on the future of General Ophthalmic Services following its meeting with health secretary Rosie Winterton.
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The profession has received encouraging written signals from the Department of Health on the future of General Ophthalmic Services following its meeting with health secretary Rosie Winterton.
Concern was raised in the summer following government proposals to cap the GOS budget, devolve it to PCTs and localise the commissioning of NHS sight tests.
It now appears that the Department envisages the GOS operating as now, with contractors being entitled to a contract if they meet nationally agreed criteria, and any threat to cap the number of GOS sight tests has been dropped.
Bob Hughes, AOP chief executive, told optician this week: '[The system] will work within national regulations, on the terms of reference for GOS as now, and that's the key point, with a nationally agreed fee. So everyone's entitled to a contract, and will be paid the national rate.'
Previous concern as to how PCTs could spend ophthalmic funding was brushed off by Hughes. 'They won't get the opportunity - that's why we have put so much store by the promises we have been given.'
The determination to push through reform, as well as allow the profession a proper role at the table of the GOS review, was confirmed in a letter from DoH ophthalmic services representative Derek Busby to the profession on November 8 (read extract here).
It has also emerged that the Department's head of access policy, development and capacity planning, Bob Ricketts, will lead the review.
With the DoH promising to be 'open and participative' in the GOS, the three negotiators for the profession - ABDO's Tony Garrett, AOP's Bob Hughes and FODO's David Hewlett - said the assurances had given confidence that the profession could enter the review in a more positive frame of mind.
'The commitment on the GOS is vital,' they said this week. 'The Department confirms that there is no intention to cash limit the nationally agreed NHS sight test and that there will be no restriction on patients' access to the service or on market entry.'
They said they would be looking for these commitments to be backed up by action, and that 'there can be no slackening in our campaign to brief and inform Members of Parliament and patients' groups about the importance of eye care, the high clinical standards and choice the profession already provides, and the additional benefits we can bring to the NHS and its patients'.
Concern was raised in the summer following government proposals to cap the GOS budget, devolve it to PCTs and localise the commissioning of NHS sight tests.
It now appears that the Department envisages the GOS operating as now, with contractors being entitled to a contract if they meet nationally agreed criteria, and any threat to cap the number of GOS sight tests has been dropped.
Bob Hughes, AOP chief executive, told optician this week: '[The system] will work within national regulations, on the terms of reference for GOS as now, and that's the key point, with a nationally agreed fee. So everyone's entitled to a contract, and will be paid the national rate.'
Previous concern as to how PCTs could spend ophthalmic funding was brushed off by Hughes. 'They won't get the opportunity - that's why we have put so much store by the promises we have been given.'
The determination to push through reform, as well as allow the profession a proper role at the table of the GOS review, was confirmed in a letter from DoH ophthalmic services representative Derek Busby to the profession on November 8 (read extract here).
It has also emerged that the Department's head of access policy, development and capacity planning, Bob Ricketts, will lead the review.
With the DoH promising to be 'open and participative' in the GOS, the three negotiators for the profession - ABDO's Tony Garrett, AOP's Bob Hughes and FODO's David Hewlett - said the assurances had given confidence that the profession could enter the review in a more positive frame of mind.
'The commitment on the GOS is vital,' they said this week. 'The Department confirms that there is no intention to cash limit the nationally agreed NHS sight test and that there will be no restriction on patients' access to the service or on market entry.'
They said they would be looking for these commitments to be backed up by action, and that 'there can be no slackening in our campaign to brief and inform Members of Parliament and patients' groups about the importance of eye care, the high clinical standards and choice the profession already provides, and the additional benefits we can bring to the NHS and its patients'.