LOC Support Unit

From July 2007 the AOP has formed the LOC Support Unit following the National Optometric Committee Extraordinary General Meeting (NOC EGM)  in March 2007.The purpose of the LOC support Unit is to help all LOC's accross the nation to become more proactive in negotiaion with PCT's and other governing Health Authorities.  For this purpose the Central LOC Unit has to be funded and the AOP has passed a resolution at the NOC EGM in March 2007 that the funding should be taken from the GOS 1 fee at a compulsory levy of 0.5% as of July 1st 2007.  The Central LOC Unit  has been created in conjunction with ABDO, FODO and the AOP with the backing of the College of Optometrists and is in the interest of all  Optical  Practices to move the profession of Optometry forward in the fields of healthcare and eyecare.

More details abount the central LOC Unit  can bve found at the AOP Website.  

As you are possibly aware from th recent Optometric Journals, our supporting optical bodies, the AOP, FODO and ABDO have formed the Cntral LOC Unit. The purpose of the LOC Support unit is to assist all LOC's accross the country with training, negotiation skills, business planning and to further the Optometric role within the NHS.  Following the creation of the Central LOC Unit all LOC's  have now been requested by the AOP to arrange funding for the unit. As to this effect EHH LOC held an Extra Oridinary Meeting on Monday 3rd September 2007  and passed the following resolution:

The Resolution


  • "This Extraordinary General Meeting of the EHH LOC supports the proposal to establish a Central Support Unit for Local Optical Committees (LOCs) that will directly assist and support each LOC in their statutory functions as the representative body of local practitioners as defined in the National Health Service Act 1977, as amended, and as revised by the provisions of the Health Act 2006 and those set out in the model constitution for LOCs.
  This  EGM   further resolves that EHH LOC should raise a statutory levy sufficient to fund the local administrative expenses of the LOC and a contribution to finance the LOC Central Support Unit equivalent to  ½% of GOS sight test fees as of   and backdated from 1st July 2007."