London LOCs get chance to tender for ophthalmology services

Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster Local Optical Committee chairman, Panos Nicolaou, said he is excited about the prospect of the LOC bidding to provide ophthalmology services in the area following the announcement of a tender process by the local Clinical Commissioning Groups.

The process will is part of a wider plan by the NHS CCGs in London covering the Central, Hammersmith & Fulham West London areas to issue tenders for community ophthalmology services worth between £2.5m and £8.6m over the three years to 2018.

Nicolaou said his LOC was running the bid but was partnering with neighbouring Hammersmith and Fulham to cover its area too. ‘ We are quite excited that they [CCG] have put a tender together. We were concerned last year that we wouldn’t be doing anything. This is a great opportunity for our profession. Over the last few years we have gathered expressions of interest from local contractors and performers and presented Local NHS officials with a business case for the redesign of inefficient and unsustainable ophthalmic service delivery.’