As part of our AGM this year we need to vote to adopt the new constitution as both Coventry & Warwickshire LOC’s are merging.
Please find the new constitution HERE
Please feel free to contact us if you have any queries.
News
Arden, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Performers List Applications – Important Notice
Dear LOCs
Just to let you know that some of the changes regarding the PCSS staff and also co-commissioning have started to take place.
The local offices are not taking any new performance list applications. They all being dealt with by the Hub in Walsall, england.npl-blackcountry@nhs.net 01922 603161
Best wishes
Denise Goddard
Assistant Contract Manager
Primary Care Team for Coventry, Warwickshire, Worcestershire & Herefordshire
NHS England (West Midlands)
AOP Issue Solar Eclipse Advice For Patients
A statement from the AOP regarding the upcoming eclipse:
Friday morning will see the most spectacular eclipse of the sun for 15 years, in a rare astronomical alignment as the Moon will pass directly between the sun and the Earth, blocking out most of the light. Viewers in the UK will witness a partial eclipse of at least 80%, depending upon location.
Don’t lose sight of your eyes during the eclipse
Patients and colleagues may ask for advice about how to view the eclipse safely. Here are a few top tips to ensure that the public view the eclipse safely without damaging their eyes:
1. Never look directly at the sun or use any instruments like binoculars, telescopes or cameras to view the sun directly. Doing so can permanently damage your eyesight.
2. The only safe way to view the eclipse is indirectly, through a device such as a pinhole projector. This cheap and easy method projects the sun’s image onto a screen, such as a sheet of white paper or cardboard.
3. Never point an unprotected camera lens at the sun as this can cause permanent damage to the camera and to your eyes. To take photos of the sun without damaging your camera, you will need to use a solar filter recommended by your camera manufacturer.
The only safe way to view the sun is indirectly and perhaps the best way to get a good view is to watch it on television. For more information, watch OT’s interview with Karen Sparrow, Head of Professional Development, and the news update in this week’s edition.
Don’t forget, you can keep up to date with all the latest eye health stories in the news by following us on Twitter and searching our #eyesinthenews hashtag.
An Important Message From Our Chair – LOC Merger
On Wednesday 28th January 2015 an Extraordinary General Meeting was held by Warwickshire and Coventry LOCs. This was to consider the proposal that the two LOCs should become one committee. All local practitioners had been invited to attend, or to send in by email, their opinions on the proposal. There were no objections from members of the individual Committees or the local practitioners, and a general agreement from those present was that this would be a good and sensible merger, and the proposal was agreed.
There will, therefore, be elections of officers and members for the new committee. The process and membership balance will be discussed at the next LOC meeting in March, and practitioners will be kept informed of the decisions. Anyone wishing to stand is invited to put themselves forward before the AGM, which will be held on 21st May 2015.
Jayne Dunn
Joint Chair Coventry and Warwickshire LOC
NHS South Warwickshire Clinical Commissioning Group To Commission Primary Care Services From April
Below please find a message from South Warwickshire CCG
Dear colleagues,
NHS South Warwickshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has been given the go-ahead to commission primary care services from April 2015.
NHS England announced that the CCG – which is responsible for planning, buying and monitoring healthcare services on behalf of the people of south Warwickshire – was successful in its application to take on additional commissioning responsibilities.
Dr David Spraggett, Chair of NHS South Warwickshire CCG, said: “I am pleased to announce that our application to take on responsibility for primary care co-commissioning has been approved by NHS England. This means that from April this year, we will commission the majority of GP services in south Warwickshire.
“We are one of 64 CCGs across the country that has been approved to take on ‘delegated’ commissioning responsibility for GP services. This is a positive step for our CCG towards commissioning services that are focussed on improving outcomes for patients through more joined up and integrated models of care.”
Sue Price, Director of Commissioning (West Midlands), at NHS England, said: “I am delighted that six clinical commissioning groups across the West Midlands, which include NHS South Warwickshire Clinical Commissioning Group, have been successful in their bids to take on responsibility for commissioning the majority of GP services from April this year.
“This is a welcome step towards investment in primary and community services that will see the development of continuing improvements to commission local high quality care for our patients now and for the future.”
NHS South Warwickshire CCG joins 64 other CCGs throughout England that have been successful in providing the evidence that they have a transparent and robust framework for commissioning GP services and managing conflicts of interest.
Primary care is currently commissioned by NHS England’s Area Teams but CCG’s were given the opportunity last year to opt for one of three options for differing levels of co-commissioning: ‘delegated commissioning’, ‘joint commissioning’ or ‘greater involvement’.
NHS South Warwickshire CCG
New Fast Track Referral Forms And Pathways For Coventry And Warwickshire
This is an important notice for all Coventry and Warwickshire optometrists.
New fast track AMD, DMO and RVO referral forms and pathways have been developed and approved by our local hospitals and Clinical Commisioning Groups.
Training and accreditation will be required to ensure an excellent service. Mr Manjunatha from University Hospital Covenrty and Warwickshire will be giving a short presentation on fast track macular defects and how to expedite referrals with the correct information from optometrists and GPs.
Please attend a training session at 6:15 pm on either the 9th or 23rd of March 2015 at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire in the Clinical Sciences Building, Clifford Bridge Road, Coventry, West Midlands CV2 2DX. 1 CET point is available.
College Peer Discussion Event To Use Voting Pad Technology
The following message is from the College of Optometrists:
Your next free member CET event in the West Midlands region will take place in Coventry on Thursday 22 January 2015 from 6pm.
We are pleased to introduce a new and exciting approach to our peer discussion events taking place in the 2014/15 cycle.
Using filmed ethical scenarios, attendees will have the opportunity to watch different cases acted out on screen, before discussing them with colleagues. An audience voting system popularised by the ‘ask the audience’ section of Who Wants to be a Millionaire will be used.
The discussions will be supported by a trained facilitator and based around a series of College case studies.
A finger buffet will be available at the start of the event, giving you an opportunity to network with colleagues and College representatives. The events remain free of charge for College members.
All members are welcome to attend, irrespective of whether you have attended a peer discussion before. The type of CET and number of points will be confirmed shortly.
Expected timings:
6pm Registration and catering
6.45pm Welcome and College talk
7pm Filmed scenarios and Peer discussion – Batch 3 (case studies on confidentiality, wrong prescription and a poorly performing colleague)
9.30pm Close
CET points available: 3 interactive points
Competencies covered: Communication, Professional conduct and Ocular examination
If you have any queries, please call Iayana Baker on 020 7766 4347.
Coventry And Warwickshire LOCs To Amalgamate – Meeting Called
Dear Colleagues,
Coventry and Warwickshire LOC’s have decided that it would be best practice that the 2 LOC’s amalgamate, due to the new Arden Cluster and CCG. So because of the LOC constitution, we have to let you all know. There will be a meeting held at the Rose and Crown Market Square Warwick on Wednesday 28th of January at 7pm .
The meeting will last only approximately 15 minutes as we just have to go through formalities. This meeting is just to vote to say that you are happy that the 2 LOC’s amalgamate. All the present officers will remain in post until the Warwickshire AGM in April/May 2015. At which time, all the officers and committee members of both Coventry and Warwickshire LOC’s will be up for re-election.
If I do not hear from you , I assume you will all be happy with the situation and that you are not attending the meeting.
If you have any queries then please do not hesitate to contact me.
Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas
Kind regards,
Francesca
Secretary to Warwickshire LOC
New GOS18 and Guidance
A new GOS18 referral form is now being supplied by NHS England.
A PDF printable version can be found HERE along with new guidance.
National Performers List Website To Close
The following announcement is from NHS England:
Users of National Performers List
This is to give advance notice to Area Teams that the website www.performer.england.nhs.uk will be closing at the end of 2014.
The following announcement regarding the closure of the National Performers List website will appear on the website’s homepage from November 17th 2014:
On 31 December 2014 this website will be closing down.
Members of the public wishing to view registration information regarding GPs, dentists or opticians are advised to use the following search pages:
For doctors: http://www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/register/LRMP.asp
For dentists: http://www.gdc-uk.org/pages/searchregisters.aspx
For opticians: https://www.optical.org/en/Registration/the-register/guide_to_searching_the_registers.cfm
Performers wishing to download application forms are advised to go to the NHS England website:http://www.england.nhs.uk/joint/
Coventry and Warwickshire LOC 