Discussion Document on OSCES
Discussion Document on OSCES
OSCES are required for all MECS services and some Glaucoma / OHT services.
PEHOWM have offered “free” OSCES to all performers at a cost to PEHOWM of £100 a time
Some LOCs have also “paid” for OSCEs for performers
Some performers have had to pay for OSCEs if attending out of area. (i.e someone form Oxford travellign to Gloucester)
The college are now providing OSCES
No further OSCEs planned by any services at present -
Discussed the issue of whether we should be paying for local performers to sit the college OSCES.
As we have been paying for OSCES so far, then are we obliged to continue paying, or is there a potential cut-off date?
Does the college have sufficient capacity to handle all our OSCEs
Do we have enough funds?
We will need to fund future revalidation, this may affect our reserves.
Options
Charge everyone the full rate – pros no cost to PEHOWM and everyone else is charging, performers pay the going rate for CET;
cons - may act a as a deterrent
Everyone free – pros – no deterrent;
cons – expensive to PEHOWM, need to ensure we do not subsidise out of area performers
Discounted price – pros – less expensive to PEHOWM as free;
cons - may still attract out of areas performers as cheaper than elsewhere. May still deter some
Free pre service launch, charge post launch - Pros; less cost to PEHOWM, less deterrent post launch as performers wish to join an existing service and pay the going rate for CET;
Cons – may not be much of a saving if everyone signs up pre-launch; need to carefully check where performers are working
Free preservice launch, discounted price post service launch – pros & cons similar to above, but fewer savings to company likely, still need to ensure we do not subsidise out of area performers
Reimburse the fess in full if taken elsewhere – Pros – less work for us not having to put on OSCES
cons - rewards people who were not organised locally, costly to PEHOWM; dependant on other choices (i.e. not appropriate if charging everyone or charging some)
Reimburse the fees in part if taken elsewhere – pros and cons as above, less costly to PEHOWM
Free to newly qualified – pros encourages newly qualified to sign up for services, upskills workforce more quickly,
cons – cost and organisation
Information regarding the policies used elsewhere has been requested.
Follow Up Information
As at 1st November, Katrina reported that 6,700 optometrists had now completed the MECS distance learning, up from 4,550 in March while, in the same period, the number successfully completing the OSCE sessions was up to 5,387 from 3,226.