PCT insider predicts new era in eye care

Practitioners must prepare to adapt, and adopt improved services as the Government prepares to devolve the national GOS budget to primary care trusts.

Cash limits are to be sent on the GOS budget

This message followed last week's warnings by the professional bodies about the implications of the Health Improvement and Protection Bill, which also plans to set cash limits on the NHS GOS budget, and hive off commissioning of the GOS sight test to local groups.

Bedford optometrist Simon Browning, who has become deeply involved in his PCT, said this week that the developments appear to be inevitable, but there was no evidence that local commissioning would lead to lower standards of care.

He told optician that the changes would actually help drive improvements in services, and make his optometry colleagues consider going private to offer better patient care and choice.

'The Government has done this with every other facet of healthcare,' he said, 'and we are the last to go.

'In dentistry, GPs, and most recently pharmacy, the evidence shows that it is about looking towards high standards of care.

'Yes, there will be those who don't get NHS contracts but its already being discussed in the profession that the opportunities are far greater.'

Browning, who is an optometric adviser to his PCT - and will make a major presentation on how LOCs can strike deals with PCTs in the autumn - suggested that trusts would sign up only those outlets necessary to deliver high standards of care, clinical governance and audit required.

'Why pay the others to do the same thing?' he said.

'We have a capacity of delivering upwards of 16 million NHS sight tests a year, when there are only 10 million being performed.

'Walk down any high street and you will find signs saying "no appointment necessary" or "sight tests available today" because there is overcapacity. It's as simple as that. It would be very nice for everybody to have an NHS contract but its not a cost effective way of ensuring high standards of care.'

Browning said the debate as to how practitioners could provide improved standards in private practice had begun.