This letter advises on:

• Changes to legislation for NHS optical vouchers in Scotland that will increase NHS optical voucher values from 1 April 2024;
  Changes to legislation for GOS that will come into effect from 1 April 2024.

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This letter advises on:

• Proposed change to submission period for GOS(S)1 eye examination payment claims
• GOS(S)4 NHS optical voucher approval arrangements
• Revised NHS Waiting Times Guidance
• Recorded webinar regarding undergraduate optometry degree changes
• Monitoring of patients using hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine
• Patient signposting during festive period 

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This letter provides:

• updated guidance aimed at both community optometry and community pharmacy teams and an updated referral form for the assessment and treatment of minor eye conditions

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This letter advises on:

•    New Directions for the CGS; The Optometry Enhanced Services (Community Glaucoma Service) (Scotland) Directions 2023; 
•    Uplifts to fees for the CGS with effect from 1 April 2023;
•    An update in relation to the rollout of the CGS across Scotland; 
•    An update in relation to the application process for registration within the CGS; 
•    Practice Inspection requirements for the CGS; 
•    CGS Amendment/Withdrawal Forms; • Alternative Glaucoma Qualifications and the process for “NESGAT Equivalence”; 
•    An update on NESGAT cohorts three and four; 
•    An update on the interface between GOS and the CGS.

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This letter advises on

• uplifts to fees for GOS and the CGS;
• the CPD allowance amounts and claims process for CPD undertaken by optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners in 2022; 
• the pre-registration trainee optometrist supervisor grant amount and 
claims process for trainee optometrists taken on by a supervisor on or 
after 1 April 2023;
• a reminder about GOS primary eye examination frequencies and patient recalls;
• an amendment to the description for GOS supplementary eye examination reason code 3.0 (additional or significantly longer appointments to complete a primary eye examination for a patient with complex needs);
• an update on patient and patient representative signatures for GOS and NHS optical vouchers;
• a reminder about patient information resources for practices;
• a reminder about the current guidance regarding wearing of face 
masks;
• a reminder about winter flu and COVID vaccinations for frontline health and social care workers;
• the support available for dealing with bullying, harassment and abuse from members of the public;
• an update on the implementation of the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 
2020.

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This letter advises on:

• Changes to legislation for NHS optical vouchers in Scotland that will increase NHS Optical voucher values from 1 June 2023;
• Phase 3 of the CGS application process, which only applies to NHS Lanarkshire

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This letter advises and updates on a number of important areas relating to the CGS, in particular on the different application process phases.

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This letter advises on:
 
• A reminder to practices closing over the festive holiday period about the importance of having appropriate patient signposting messaging in place;
• Homeless patients and eOphthalmic arrangements;
• A reminder to community optometry practice staff about their eligibility to receive a Winter COVID-19 and flu vaccine;
• Data sharing for SCONe project;
• A reminder of the Scottish Government health marketing campaigns and associated assets available;
• An update on the Eyes.Scot website. 

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This letter advises on: 

• Establishment of the CGS via The Optometry Enhanced Services (Community Glaucoma Service) (Scotland) Directions 2022;
• The roll-out plan for CGS across Scotland;
• Cohort 3 for the NESGAT qualification;
• The application process for the CGS.

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This letter advises on: 

• a 4.5% increase applied to all fees paid for GOS eye examinations 
undertaken on or after 1 April 2022;
• an amendment to the description for supplementary eye examination  reason codes 2.7/4.7 (post-operative cataract examination);
• an amendment to the description for supplementary eye examination  reason code 3.0 (additional or significantly longer appointment to  complete a primary eye examination for a patient with complex needs);
• supplementary eye examinations undertaken using remote facilities;
• the CPD allowance amounts for CPD undertaken by optometrists and  OMPs in 2021;
• the pre-registration trainee optometrist supervisor grant amount and claims process for trainee optometrists taken on by a supervisor on or after 1 April 2022;
• a reminder about the position regarding the wearing of FRSMs.

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This letter advises on:

• an end to the mandatory wearing of FRSMs at all times in domiciliary  settings;
• a pause in asymptomatic LFD testing for health and social care • Winter COVID-19 and flu vaccines for frontline health and social care workers;
• NHS medication prescribing;
• a reminder about staff wellbeing support available through the National Wellbeing Hub.

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This letter advises on changes to legislation for GOS and NHS 
optical vouchers in Scotland that comes into effect on 1 July 
2022.

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This letter advises of a new ventilation  enhancement grant for community optometry  practice premises. Funding has been made  available from the Scottish Government to be paid to community optometry practices that meet the conditions of entitlement for the new grant.

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This letter advises on a 3% increase applied to all fees paid for GOS eye examinations undertaken on or after 1 April 2021.

Practices are advised to note changes to the Respiratory Infections in Health and Care Settings Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) Addendum

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This Circular provides updated guidance for both community optometry and community pharmacy teams and an updated referral form for the assessment and treatment of minor eye conditions as part of the NHS 
Pharmacy First Scotland (NHS PFS) service.

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This letter advises on the following:

• new physical distancing requirements in health and social care settings;
• new guidance regarding isolation exemptions for health and social care staff;
• clarification regarding wearing of PPE and COVID-19 contact tracing;
• a reminder about staff wellbeing support available through the National Wellbeing Hub;
• a reminder to all optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners providing GOS about the 31 October 2021 deadline for completing the 2021 GOS mandatory training.

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This letter advises on the following:

• an update on physical distancing requirements in health and social care settings;
• revised IPC guidance for community health and care settings –environmental cleaning and waste disposal;
• the allowance values, criteria and claims process for CET undertaken by optometrists and OMPs in 2020;
• the pre-registration trainee supervisor grant amount and claims process for trainee optometrists taken on, on or after 1 April 2021;
• the public beta launch of the Eyes.Scot website;
• the provision of a poster for use by all community optometry practices providing General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) in Scotland.

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This letter advises on the following:

• IPC guidance, including the use of gloves and aprons in the medium risk pathway;
• PPE funding;
• Staff wellbeing;
• Workforce Specialist Service;
• £500 non-consolidated payment – claims for locums and sessional paid staff;
• Patient / patient representative signatures;
• Patient exemption checking.

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This letter advises on the following:

• Update on Ophthalmic List removal for non-provision of GOS;
• Reminder regarding participation in the lateral flow device testing programme;
• Update on financial support for practice premises and mobile practices.

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This letter advises on the following:

• An update on opening hours for practice premises;
• An update to financial support for community optometry practice premises and mobile practices.

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This letter advises on the following:

• Update on the transition to the pull model of PPE ordering – NHS Borders, NHS Lanarkshire, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde;
• Update on financial support for practice premises, mobile practices and peripatetic services provision.

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This letter advises on the following:
• A reminder about the necessity for practices ordering PPE via the PECOS system to do so by the deadline date;
• A change to GOS(S)1 financial support arrangements for community optometry practice premises;
• Updated Public Health Scotland guidance on infection prevention and control for primary care.

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This letter advises NHS Boards and Practitioner Services of the arrangements for the NHS payment disbursement to persons working within an independent service provider setting, announced on 30 November 2020

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This letter advises on the following:

• Recourse available to NHS Boards where there is an allegation of a breach of the Terms of Service of the NHS (General Ophthalmic Services) (Scotland) Regulations 2006, as amended;
• 2021 GOS mandatory training requirements – cut-off date for completion;
• Update on the transition to the ‘pull’ PPE ordering model;
• Funding arrangements for PPE provision to community 
optometry in Scotland;
• Arrangements for financial support in relation to practice closures.

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This letter advises on the following:

• Community eye care services in Level 4 areas in Scotland following the new COVID-19 regulations which came into effect on 5 January 2021;
• Financial support for optometry practices;
• A progress update on the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccinations to all optical practice staff;
• A reminder about key worker status for optical practice staff;
• An update on PPE, including the transition to a “pull” self-ordering model.

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