Scottish OOs have two weeks to claim grants

Scottish optometrists have a fortnight to apply for their 270 CET grant for 2004, and 8,000 equipment allowance for the new NHS eye examination.

Practitioners have until March 17 to apply for the money in respect of loss earnings associated with CET.

The Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD) has issued a memorandum which emphasises that optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners who were on the ophthalmic list of an NHS Board for at least six months during 2004 are eligible.

Representative body Optometry Scotland, which is coordinating the profession's information regarding this and the new north of the border GOS contract, has informed professionals of the deadline via its website which can be seen at www.optometryscotland.org.uk

The equipment grant - for tonometers, slit lamp, condensing lenses and a visual field analyser - is payable for practices where GOS services were provided at February 1 2006, and will continue until at least April 1 2007.

This includes the renewal or upgrading of the required equipment, 'or for the reimbursement of expenses already incurred for the purchase of required equipment'.

Claims for equipment already incurred can be backed up by invoices and receipts. In cases where these cannot be obtained within the time scale for claiming an allowance, photographic evidence of the instrument already purchased, including an image of the serial number, together with the name and address from where it was bought, and the date of purchase, may be submitted.

An Optometry Scotland spokesman said: 'Many optometrists, including those who work in the Glasgow Health Board area, have already received this memorandum. If practitioners have not yet received it, please get in touch with your Health Board, your AOC chairman or the OS secretary as soon as possible.'

Contact details for the AOC chairmen are given on the website, and the OS secretary, Sheila Briggs, can be emailed at optometryscotland@yahoo.co.uk