Optometrists told to apply two-year rule

The Scottish Executive, responsible for health policy and administration of the NHS north of the border, is to write to all 1,253 ophthalmic contractors in Scotland to confirm that despite what the article 'Scottish Executive backtracks on proposed GOS regulations' implied, the two-year rule brought in last year remains. The memorandum to optometrists will say that following amendments to the NHS (General Ophthalmic Services) (Scotland) Regulations 1986, a provision was made to investigate 'excessive testing' after a number of practitioners were not listing clinical reasons for re-testing of patients. Both the Association of Optometrists and the Scottish Committee of Optometrists were informed that their members needed to give clinical reasons when the new GOS (S) 1 form was introduced, and according to the Scottish Executive it was these professional bodies who suggested the idea of incorporating this into the form. A spokeswoman for the Scottish Executive said that practitioners must continue to provide a clinical reason when forwarding forms to the Common Services Agency (CSA) when re-testing occurred within the two-year period. Forms would be returned unpaid if a reason was not given.The Scottish Executive has instructed the CSA to direct complaints from practitioners to Optometry Today. The Scottish Executive has stated that it is not questioning clinical opinion by asking practitioners for the clinical reason a patient needs a sight test less than two years from the previous one. Practitioners with valid reasons would not find this a problem when forwarding payment claims.