1
CALDERDALE & KIRKLEES
LOCAL OPTICAL COMMITTEE
Secretary
John Wright
Thornton & Wright
1 Co-op Shopping Parade
Hipperholme
Halifax
HX3 8LT
Phone 01422 200016
Calderdale & Kirklees LOC AGM
Wednesday 22 April 2015
Minutes DRAFT
ITEM 1Chair’s Welcome
Graham Phipps welcomed Dan Dixon Gareth Hart Jeremy Topliss Anna Giraud Jonathan Whitaker Stephen Allott Stephen Clark Indu Gupta Stephen Selbie Sarah Slade Russell Ramsden Moin Valli Rachael Rose Sheryl Doe
Harj Sunda Nora Bradley Andrew Thornton Julie Thornton Charlotte Mear John Wright Helen Wright Liz Lund Alice Morgan Richard Knight Andrew Lomas Duncan Mitchell Barbara Watson Carys Farrow HughFarrow Barney Norris Richard Hurdley
Caroline Auckland-Shone Tim Shone Helen Jones Sue Adamson Fatima Zorah
Pauline Wilson Oliver Sewell Richard Sellers Steve Dando Saida Dockrat Ann Barrett
(Kamal Aftab & Dilesh Gohil were not signed in)
Item 2Apologies for absence
Mark Hurst, Robert & Carol Foulds, Stella Griffiths, Pravin Mamtora, Chris Hey, Rena Souten, Opi Agyemang, Susan Briggs, Angela Barraclough, Keith Bennett, Neil Kaye, Paul Rodgers. Margaret Henshaw. Jeremy Topliss
Item 3Minutes of AGM 30 April 2014 (attached) were approved as accurate Proposed A Thornton Seconded R Hurdley
Item 4Matters Arising from 2014 minutes
None
Item 5Chairs Report (G Phipps)
Chair and Alice Morgan represented CKLOC at the National Optical Conference, There was much upbeat talk about potential commissioned services coming on-stream in other areas. C&K already have successful services. Members attended the Local Eye Health Professional Network meetings in Leeds which have been positive in forging further links with consultants. Meetings have continued with the Eyecare Group locally and these include updates on scheme performance. Current schemes have been extended rather than re negotiated as an interim measure so not a lot has changed this year. There is still potential to develop a children’s eye care pathway although this has been in development for more than ten years.
CHFT are keen to introduce Medisoft software in order to facilitate direct referral to hospital. S Allot interjected that Practice contact data will be input to this system which should improve feedback to referring optometrists as this has been historically poor. Meetings with North Kirklees re OHT are in process but office changes at Pinderfields have hindered current progress. NHS email addresses now seem to be a very likely introduction soon. More info should follow from NHS England.
Item 6Treasurer’s Report, A Giraud Hon. Sec. Presented scrutinised accounts for the past year. The committee have recently approved an uplift to the statutory levy rate to zero point eight percent in order to stabilise reserves as balances have fallen due to the levy reduction last year even though expenditure has been less this year. The levy used to be 1%, reduced to 0.5% to deplete reserves, which were considered by committee to be too high, and will now be set at 0.8%. Thanks were given to Jeremy Topliss and Andrew Gibson for their scrutinising skills. Andrew Thornton raised the apparent reduction in training expenditure and asked if there were plans to increase activity in this area as the previously bought training (Replay Learning) was of a higher standard than recent locally arranged events. AG responded that the figures included a one off grant to from Calderdale CCG in the previous period. If further training costs were incurred the levy would be reviewed as it is usually set at a maintenance level.
Item 7 Secretaries report (J Wright) A substantial change to LOC Constitution has been suggested in order to provide for better continuity. One third of committee to resign annually in turn and seek re-election for a further three years, rather than the current three yearly clean sweep. The new committee are to explore this further but LOCSU input would be required as would approval from NHS England. There was no response from attendees either way. N Bradley pointed out that NHS England were quite reluctant to agree to the minor change relating to proxy voting that was implemented in 2008.
Next LOC meeting is at 6.30pm 11th May 2015, Canalside, Leeds Road, Huddersfield. Observers welcome!
Election of new committee (returning officer Liz Lund). Valid Nominations received for re election of contractors G Hart, S Dando, S Griffiths, A Lomas, G Phipps and Performers R Ramsden, R Hurdley, A Morgan,
S Allott. As the number of nominations is less than 12 no vote is necessary this time 3 positions remain unfilled and 3 further co-opted positions are available.
Committee structure
Constitutionally the committee is composed of 6 Performers & 6 Contractors elected to serve for up to 3 years to represent your interests with the local NHS. The committee may also co-opt up to three other people if further expertise is required. The next election will be at the AGM in April 2018. LOC officers (chair, vice, treasurer and secretary) are elected as soon as possible following every AGM and individuals with an interest in the different aspects of local NHS eye care provision are appointed to take on this responsibility as leads. No members have retired early from the committee this year.
Composition of the LOC was (Contractor C Performer P)
C. Graham PhippsChair CATS LEAD
C. John Wright Secretary
C. Stephen Allott. PEARS LEAD
C. Gareth Hart, PEARS & CES LEAD
C. Stella Griffithsappointed as contractor 19 Nov 2012 to casually vacant position
P. Richard Hurdley, CATS LEAD
P. Russell Ramsden, Vice GRR OHT LEAD
P. Steve Dando, GRR OHT LEAD WEBLEAD
P. Andrew Lomas,CES LEAD
P. Alice Morgan (aptd Nov 2013) DRS LEAD
(2 casual positions remain)
Anna GiraudHon. Treasurer
DO Kim Walker co-opted 19 Nov 2012 as low vision provision lead
(2 co-opted positions remain)
Election result confirmed by returning officer Liz Lund. The committee remains
unchanged but for Kim Walker and John Wright who did not seek re election.
Officers & Leads will be chosen at the next LOC meeting. There is now no
Dispensing Optician representative on the LOC but any expressions of interest
would be welcome. Please speak to the Chair who would like to see some
new people.
There have been seven full LOC meetings since the last AGM and the minutes for
all but the last two are available on .
All members have behaved correctly regarding apologies, absence etc. and there
have been no resignations.
Please use as a resource for information including meeting minutes. You may direct any enquiry to the relevant lead.
Remember that any performer of contractor or their representative may attend and observe LOC meetings. Information of the next meeting is always available from the secretary. Please send agenda items to secretary one week before for inclusion.
Item 8Cataract LES Lead report (G Phipps & R Hurdley).
Richard reported nothing has changed but a continuing concern is Post Cat referrals forms sent out numbers although the claims data indicates that the post cat claims are numerically about half the Pre Cat claims which does not seem unreasonable.
Whilst the schemes are being extended to fit in with the NHS funding and commissioning timetable there is no opportunity to negotiate a more realistic fee. This will be addressed over the next 12 months as we enter scheme renewal talks. Whilst C&K are doing well compared to national averages and surrounding districs such as Sheffield it would be inappropriate not to ask for a little more. Graham cautioned that until new schemes are “put out to tender” renegotiation is not possible. Any fee change may be constrained by nationwide NHS policy.
Item 9PEARS LES Lead report (S Allott & G Hart)
Gareth Hart invited questions from the floor. Stephen Allott hopes that PEARS and emergency referrals will be easier with the introduction of NHS email soon. He is Guinea-pigging an application for his new NHS email and will distribute further info depending on the result soon.
Item 10OHT & GRR LES Lead report (R Ramsden & S Dando)
Russell Ramsden invited questions from the floor. Richard Hurdley reported a recent increase in OHT activity recently at his practice.
Stephen Selbie suggested introduction of software such as Webstar might increase discharge rate back to primary care, This may be a future development at scheme tender as costs have fallen.
Item 11DRS Lead report (G Phipps & Alice Morgan)
Graham reported that the recent tender process stalled as NHS wanted a mulit provider solution including optometry / hospital and general practice. He then introduced Richard Night LOCSU director of policy who explained that the tender process keeps starting and stopping as the NHS takes on board more criteria, frustrating LOCSU efforts to create a viable tender which is in itself an expensive process. Currently efforts are being made to piggy back onto a commercial provider scheme (indistinct). Ongoing.
Item 12Childrens Eyecare Pathway progress report (S Allott)
Stephen “watch this space” A draft scheme was put before the commissioners in January / February who decided to push this to next January / February when they will be considering new schemes. Andrew Thornton asked if in the meantime the hospital, who have historically received funding for one orthoptist, had been told that primary care cannot do this unfunded work for them. Stephen replied that the hospital was on board and the Eyecare group were supportive of the new proposals.
Item 13Q & A
Graham Phipps responded as follows
1)Q Website; I can’t find the latest news?
A Website now updated
2)QHow do we find out when the LOC meeting is?
Aemail or phone the secretary or any LOC member, please come along as an observer
3)QWhat are the LOC doing to mitigate against any CCG plan to be hyper diligent when policing NHS claims?
AQ3 is a consequence of events in Merseyside where outliers have had claims for early GOS tests and vouchers extrapolated up into large sums of £’000’s which have then required claw back. Graham advised all optometrists to record the clinical reason for the early claim on the px record and not rely on the early code alone entered on the GOS1. This code is simply an indicator within the claims process for use by the administrators who are not allowed access to clinical information. Contractors should be familiar with the memorandum of understanding published by the AOP to avoid problems. For example be especially aware that although a px 70+ is entitled to a GOS funded test annually a clinical reason for the claim must be recorded if it is less than two years since the last test, and this includes private tests, the same as any other adult px, notwithstanding G, FHG, DIA etc. Stephen Clarke and Sarah Slade from NHS England confirmed and further clarified this position. The NHS is there to address the clinical needs of the patients so the clinical reasons for access should be the driver. To answer the original Q the LOC do not intend to seek reassurance from the local NHS that retrospective claims will not be pursued as there is a danger of some local officer thinking that it is a good idea to attempt to claw back large sums of cash! The LES scheme are a separate issue. NHS Fraud however cannot be condoned in any circumstances but keeping accurate clinical records should keep you safe.
4)QHave C & K HES enhanced scheme lectures been “master classes” and are they compulsory? Will future events have CET points?
A“Master Classes”, not for me to say! Compulsory, No! Andrew Thornton reported that he and others felt that the standard of the last two Masterclasses were at an undergraduate level although a very small number of optometrists may have benefited. Graham asked the floor to comment and others agreed with Andrews comments. LOC to follow-up with the consultants and maybe pitch the future standard at a higher level, but this is against a background of distinctly poor referral standards by a minority of optometrists who may need further training specific to their needs. Over referral may be safer for them but it is poor optometry. Encouragement to attend peer review is one way to improve referral standards and the LOC hope to facilitate more of this aligned with LES development. CET points, the LOC is to become a provider probably in 2016 with consultants delivering the education with some optometry input. “Masterclass” is a term commonly used in relation to General Practitioner further training events. Graham declared that it would be reasonable for further peer review to become a compulsory element of participation in the enhanced services. This will be factored into future scheme development and should raise future referral standards.
5) QThe LOC was asked at the AGM last year if outliers for claims of the audited Kirklees enhanced schemes have been investigated, has this occurred yet?
AStephen Allot will raise this at the performance monitoring review meeting and feed back to the LOC.
Item 14Appointment of accounts Scrutinisers for the following year
Jeremy Topliss and Andrew Gibson once again offered their service for which the LOC is grateful.
Item 15Any other business
Q from Rena Souten. Are other practices experiencing current delays in payments from WYCSA? John Wright asked the floor, no others were having issues recently co this must be an isolated event
Dinner followed by a talk by Professor Brendan Barrett “A Research Based Approach to Childrens Eyecare” in the memory of Mr Anthony Gill.
This was topical, of a post grad standard and very well received by everyone including guests Mr Keith Davey, Dr Anuj Handa, Dr Steven Cleasby, Mr Gbemi Oworu, Mr Teifi James, Miss Rubina Rahman and Miss Kay Hollingworth.
CHAIRMAN GRAHAM PHIPPS 63 MARKET PLACE HECKMONDWIKE WF16 0EZ
Phone 01924 409334 e-mail
CALDERDALE & KIRKLEES
LOCAL OPTICAL COMMITTEE
Secretary
John Wright
Thornton & Wright
1 Co-op Shopping Parade
Hipperholme
Halifax
HX3 8LT
Phone 01422 200016
Calderdale & Kirklees LOC AGM
Wednesday 30 April 2014
Minutes
ITEM 1Chair’s Welcome
Graham Phipps welcomed
Charlotte Mear / Stewart Mitchell / Graham Phipps / Moin ValliAndrew Thornton / Angela Barraclough / Oliver Sewell
Julie Thornton / Elise Hollowell / Angela Phipps / Rahila Sarwar
Harj Sunda / Keith Davey / Barbara Watson
Andrew Lomas / Fayyaz Musa / Caroline Auckland-Shone / Sarah Slade
Stephen Allott / Keith Davey / Tim Shone / Stella Griffiths
Steve Dando / Roger Morgan / Huw Farrow / Stephen Haigh
Anna Giraud / Tefi James / Carys Farrow / Tracey Armitage
Keith Bennett / Rena Souten / Chris Hey / Zora Fatima
Waqar Ahmed / Helen Wright / David Armitage / Helen Jones
Jeremy Topliss / John Wright / Duncan Mitchell / Susan Adamson
Yasmin Saleem / Jonathan Whitaker / Gareth Hart / Pauline Wilson
Indu Gupta / Kamal Aftab / Robert Foulds / Richard Sellers
Kuldeep Singh / Carol Foulds
ITEM 2Apologies for Absence
Alice Morgan / Dilesh Gohil / Oliver SewellRussell Ramsden / Pretty Gohil / Peter Smith OBE
Andrew Kaye / Mark Hurst / Nora Bradley
Pravin Mamtora / Anna Dolby / Susan Briggs
Stephen Selbie / David Wilson / Kim Walker
Dinner Guest Apologies
Colin Hutchinson TrustAnuj Handa
CCG CHudds
Steven Cleasby CCG Calder
ITEM 3Minutes of AGM 17 April 2013.
Following minor corrections the minutes were approved as accurate following proposal by Robert Foulds seconded Andrew Thornton. None against.
ITEM 4Matters Arising?
None
ITEM 5Chairs Report Graham Phipps
Busy year for the LOC. You were represented By Dr Stella Griffiths and Kim Walker at the National optometric conference. There have been big changes within the NHS with the PCT’s replaced by the GP lead CCG. All our existing Local Enhances Services (now referred to as Community Services!) continue in place. New standard NHS contracts are being populated with the existing scheme pathways and protocolsby CCG officers and will be arriving at your practices for signing soon. We hope to have some input (with LOCSU assistance) to ensure these are appropriate first time.
Meetings continue with the Eyecare network (CCG, Trust, NHS regional etc.) and we are hoping to bring forward to commissioners a community optometry based childrens eyecare pathway, although the sticking point may well be funding. Kim Walker continues to explore a community based Low Vision service.
West Yorkshire NHS recently advertised inviting tenders for an area wide diabetic screening service. We held a joint meeting chaired by Katrina Verenus LOCSU with Wakefield, Bradford & Airdale and Leeds LOC’s to explore opportunity. The time scales are very short and there are real obstacles around liability for existing NHS service staff to ensure their continuity of employment, and overall funding. However there did seem to be a willingness determined by canvassing support of the willing to take part in delivering the service. Tenders had to be in by yesterday, not heard from LOCSU yet. The service is for three years.