Shye Lindo

I hope all of you have taken some time to rest and have time away from work over the summer.  It has been an exhausting time for everyone working through a pandemic and planning recovery of services along with the additional challenges that this brings. It is our BIOS and BOSTU AGMs on the 17th September and preparing the Chairs report has made me reflect on all the achievements that came about in 2019 for BIOS.  It will seem strange running an AGM through a remote virtual platform but thankfully a resolution last year has made this possible.  We could [...]

In late March 2020 NHS Scotland launched the video appointments system Near Me in all hospital and GP services.  Amidst the Covid19 crisis this offered the NHS Fife Orthoptic Service an exciting and innovative new way to stay connected to our patients.  Initially we used the technology to create a link with on call doctors working in Covid red zones.  Using an ipad, they could dial into the virtual orthoptic waiting room and receive assistance from an orthoptist to asses and diagnose emergency motility disorders without any exposure risk to our team and without any loss of clinical care for [...]

23rd March 2020. This date will be forever ingrained in many of our minds as the date lockdown began in the UK. It was also the date that all elective out-patient, community and surgical work stopped. In the 4 months that have followed most of our orthoptic departments look very different, delivering care inways we never thought possible. Many orthoptists have acquired new skills, performing tasks and working in areas they never imagined. Many of us have lost loved ones and colleagues and to say this has been a challenging period underestimates the myriad of emotions we have all gone [...]

Despite the current COVID-19 situation the journal is operating as normal.  We continue to accept submissions all year round.  This includes primary research, reviews and case studies.  Since the start of 2020, we have published six manuscripts (with another currently in the editing phase – watch this space!). Writing for publication is a daunting task! Over the next year, we are planning on working with BIOS to produce a series of resources of hints and tips to consider during the writing process.  In the meantime, here are a few things to consider when thinking about what to include in your [...]