Moneo writes : Frozen out

With just about two months to go until the eye care steering groups announce the results of the pilots that have been running concerning possible new ways for optometrists to practise, my mind has turned to what I may wish to do if my primary care trust ever finds enough funds to institute the recommendations that may arise.

It is clear that, in actual fact, it is likely not to be the PCTs that will decide whether any new systems come into being but the new practice based commissioning groups.

The only way to fund any new system will have to be by demonstrating savings over current systems and my commissioner friends seem to always tell me that those savings will need to be of the order of about one third. This is an awful lot given that practice based commissioners do not even seem to be aware of ophthalmic services let alone how to make savings in them.