OS Website – Chairman’s Welcome

Welcome to the Optometry Scotland website.

 

Optometry Scotland is a non-profit making organisation established in 2003 to be the single representative body for the entire optometry sector, which incorporates optometrists, dispensing opticians, and optical corporate bodies in Scotland.

 

We work together with optometrists, opticians, patients, agencies and other related organisations in Scotland to:

• Provide and promote exemplary services and training in education and practice
• Influence policy and practise to ensure the best possible standards of optometry
• Raise public awareness of the services offered by optometrists, increase uptake of eye checks
• Promote eye health to improve the eye health of individuals and families across Scotland

 

Optometry Scotland exists “to develop and promote a world-class primary eyecare service for the people of Scotland”.

Optometry Scotland fully supports and endorses the global initiative of ‘Vision 2020 – the right to sight’ – the basic concept being to eliminate avoidable visual loss by the year 2020.

 

The Optometry Scotland Council is composed of representatives from all communities in Scotland through the fourteen Area Optometric Committees.

OS provides a forum for optometrists and dispensing opticians to share knowledge, experience and expertise, in which to examine eye care policy and formulate long term strategy.  We use our collective knowledge to engage with the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Executive Health Department, the media and other stakeholders to constructively contribute to eye health policy development.

OS stands for:

• the attainment of the highest possible standards of professional competence and care within the optometric professions

• securing funding to enable optometrists, and dispensing opticians to provide high quality equitable services , with practices equipped to the highest practical standards

• facilitating ongoing training and personal development for optometric professions

• complying with the Vision 2020 directive by working towards the elimination of avoidable blindness

• raising awareness of the importance of routine eye examinations and extended specialist care available

 

OS constructively engaged with politicians and officials to implement the Scottish Government’s “free eye checks for all” policy in 2006, which provided a NHS eye examination designed for patients’ individual needs and an improved contract between the NHS in Scotland and Scottish optometrists.   This initiative was supported by the provision of appropriate competency training for optometrists and the availability of grants for optometric practices to procure technological equipment to deliver the best clinical service for patients.

 

OS was also involved in the NHS Review of Community Eyecare Services in Scotland which made further recommendations to improve eyecare delivery.

 

OS has helped develop a number of model care pathways for people with various eye problems working with the SEHD within the Centre for Change & Innovation. Once implemented, these pathways will result in improved care for many people living in Scotland.

 

Another key recommendation from the Review was to establish community

based integrated care networks for people living with visual disability. OS helped secure £2 million of pump prime funding from the Scottish Government to help establish multi-disciplinary low vision networks across Scotland.

 

The third key recommendation coming from the report was the development of ‘Level 2’ optometry and OS is working with the Government, NHS Boards and other agencies to help establish this significant patient benefit across Scotland.

 

Optometry is now recognised as the first port of call for anyone presenting with an eye problem in the community, but there is still a great need to promote eye health in Scotland. There are many people living in challenging circumstances in our communities who  need to be targeted with a public health eye care campaign to make the aware of the benefits of the comprehensive eyecare service that optometry has to offer.

 

Optometry Scotland will continue to pursue the goal of providing a true ‘World Class’ service for all the citizens of Scotland through a deliberate and focussed drive to develop and improve all aspects of eye care in our communities.

In this way we hope to identify a model of care that will permit the early detection of most sight threatening conditions, allowing for timeous remedial care with the ultimate goal of eliminating avoidable blindness in Scotland.

 

Frank Munro

Chairman – Optometry Scotland

ELECTION OF 4 NEW OS COUNCIL MEMBERS

Optometry Scotland(OS) are seeking 4 new Council Members.  The election of these members will take place at the OS AGM to be held on Monday 19th May.  One member from a monthly levy paying practice is entitled to stand for election.  If you would like to stand for election, please submit your brief synopsis of your background and what you could bring to OS, of no more than 500 words to: Debbie McGill at Optometry Scotland, no later than Monday 22nd April 2008.  Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

'Check your retention form to avoid delays', urges GOC

The General Optical Council (GOC) is stressing that all full and business registrants must ensure their retention applications are completed correctly, if they are to avoid missing the 15 March deadline.

All practitioners must renew their registration for 2008/9 by submitting a completed application for retention form, along with payment, by 15 March. Those who fail to apply for retention by this date will be removed from the register on 1 April.

Deputy registrar Dian Taylor stressed that registrations will only be renewed if the form and payment are both submitted correctly. "There isn't much time left so it's important to get it right first time. Make sure you've included: professional indemnity insurance policy details; declarations relating to any criminal conviction, caution or investigation; the signed declaration; and £169 payment. If this or any other part is missing or incomplete, the application will be returned to the registrant."

With two weeks to go until the deadline, a large number of applications are still outstanding. To date, 60 per cent - 11,169 registrants - have returned their form and payment.

From 1 April, a list of registrants not renewed will be published on the Council's website, and copies sent to Primary Care Trusts.

Any registrant who has not received their retention forms should contact the GOC registration team on 020 7580 3898 (option 1) to make sure their details are up to date. Or email superinfo@optical.org. Forms can also be downloaded from www.optical.org <http://www.optical.org/>

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