Swindon Glaucoma IOP Referral Refinement Scheme

A Glaucoma IOP Referral Refinement Scheme was implemented in Swindon in 2010. The patient eligibility criteria are patients registered with a GP practice in contract with NHS Swindon (Swindon Primary Care Trust). Therefore, in addition to Swindon optometrists, those outside the Swindon PCT area will be able to be refer patients who meet this criteria.         

A list of Swindon GP practices is available in the Downloads section of this website.

Referral from non-accredited optometrists without referral refinement will cease from 14^th December 2011.  

All patients who are referred on the basis of IOP alone will receive an assessment. Any patients who are referred by GOS18 will be contacted by the NHS Swindon Primary Care Booking Centre and given a list of optician practices with the names of accredited optometrists and asked to make an appointment for an assessment.

Optometrists wishing to participate in the scheme will be required to complete an assessment. This assessment is through the accreditation programme for glaucoma referral refinement developed by the Wales Optometry Postgraduate Education Centre (WOPEC) at Cardiff University and the Local Optical Committee Support Unit. It consists of distance learning lectures and questions using 2 CDs (approx 3 hours) which carries CET points and an assessment (approx 1   ½ hours). The assessment will include 4 areas: Goldmann Applanation Tonometry, calibrating a Goldmann, Van Herricks technique and Volk lens use. Optometrists are required to pass this assessment prior to taking part in the scheme.     There will be some candidates who will want some refreshing and practice in some of these techniques so if there is significant demand, practice sessions can be arranged.

Optician practices Local Enhanced Service (LES)

The LES is divided into 2 parts. Part 1 is the agreement with the contractor (practice owner in most cases) and requires the contractor to sign to agree to abide by the requirements in Part 1 and also to agree to ensure that all accredited optometrists working within the practice will abide by Part 2. In a partnership practice, all partners will need to sign the agreement.

For those practices within the NHS Swindon (Swindon Primary Care Trust) area who do not already have a Goldmann Tonometer, it has been agreed to provide  £300 toward the purchase of this equipment. The practice will be responsible for purchasing the equipment and the PCT will reimburse the practice   £300 on proof of purchase. The practice is required to sign the LES agreement and have an optometrist working within the practice who has been accredited to take part (accreditation is through the programme for glaucoma referral refinement developed by the Wales Optometry Postgraduate Education Centre at Cardiff University and the Local Optical Committee Support Unit).    

If you are not yet an accredited optometrist or your practice has not yet signed the LES, please contact Liz Hews, NHS Swindon, Tel 01793 708716

The LES Part 1 and Part 2, referral forms SWIN1 and SWIN2, patient leaflet, audit form, Swindon GP list and a list of accredited optometrists can be found in the Downloads / Forms  section of this website.

The referral form should be faxed directly to the Primary Care Booking Centre at Swindon PCT on fax number 01793 704583.    

Due to the confidential nature of the information, forms cannot currently be emailed, even with an email to fax facility.