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Policy & Campaigns

Child Visions Screening Survey – Deadline Extension

2024-02-19T19:54:28+00:00

We're currently surveying all orthoptic departments in England to allow us to establish the current provision of ‘orthoptic-led’ and ‘non-orthoptic-led’ child vision screening. In 2019, we carried out a Freedom of Information request of local authorities and CCGs, alongside the Clinical Council for Eye Health Commissioning (CCEHC), to establish a picture of services across England, the results of which were published in 2020, and are available here. It is important that we now update these findings to ascertain how service provision has changed in the intervening years, particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. All Heads [...]

Child Visions Screening Survey – Deadline Extension2024-02-19T19:54:28+00:00

Supporting eye health services through independent prescribing for orthoptists

2024-01-30T08:12:32+00:00

A letter from Craig Murray, Chair of BIOS, to Victoria Atkins MP, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the importance of extending independent prescribing responsibilities to orthoptists to enable them to provide more timely care for patients and to better support over-stretched eye health services. Dear Secretary of State The British and Irish Orthoptic Society (BIOS) is writing to urge you to extend independent prescribing responsibilities to orthoptists, as advocated in a joint letter to your predecessor in February 2023 alongside the British Dietetic Association, the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, the Royal College [...]

Supporting eye health services through independent prescribing for orthoptists2024-01-30T08:12:32+00:00

AHPs’ Day 2023

2023-10-06T09:26:25+01:00

On the 14th of October, we will be joining with the 13 other allied health professions (AHPs) to celebrate the 6th annual AHPs’ Day. AHPs are the third largest clinical workforce in the NHS, with significant opportunities to support delivery of the NHS Long Term Plan. AHPs Day is an annual occasion for AHPs, started in 2018 and now celebrated internationally, to unite and revel in their contribution. This day offers a platform to spotlight the remarkable impact AHPs have on the delivery of care. The collaborations across services, organisations, regions, and nations allow us to achieve: Reinforced awareness about [...]

AHPs’ Day 20232023-10-06T09:26:25+01:00

RCOphth backs independent prescribing responsibilities for orthoptists

2023-08-18T14:04:41+01:00

The Royal College of Ophthalmologists has written to Health Minister Will Quince MP to express their support for the extension of independent prescribing responsibilities to orthoptists. The letter, written by RCOphth President Professor Ben Burton and the Ophthalmic Practitioner Training Programme Lead Melanie Corbett, highlights that orthoptists have traditionally played an important role in delivering eye care as part of the multidisciplinary team. This includes working with babies and children on the treatment of amblyopia (“lazy eye”) and strabismus (“squint”), and with adults to manage conditions such as double vision. In both of these areas, there would be great benefit [...]

RCOphth backs independent prescribing responsibilities for orthoptists2023-08-18T14:04:41+01:00

Response to the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan

2023-07-07T11:09:49+01:00

The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan recognises many of the challenges facing the workforce in England in the coming years. We welcome the move to address issues with recruitment and retention but this will need to be underpinned with adequate funding, both to increase workforce numbers and to ensure staff are sufficiently compensated, if these plans are to be realised. Train Key points: Education and training places for the AHP workforce are estimated to need to grow by 19–25% by 2030/31. More than a third of AHPs could train through apprenticeships, compared to 6% now Increasing the number of [...]

Response to the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan2023-07-07T11:09:49+01:00

Joint call on prime minister to unblock the NHS workforce plan

2023-06-01T09:47:49+01:00

BIOS joined over 40 health charities, professional bodies, unions and the NHS Confederation to urge the prime minister to publish a funded workforce plan for healthcare in England. The organisations have warned the prime minister that his promises to improve the NHS will not be met unless the workforce crisis is addressed. The workforce plan was originally earmarked for publication in Spring 2022 but has still not been published. The letter, which was coordinated by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, makes clear that across all sectors, professions, specialities, condition pathways and services there are mass vacancies and insufficient numbers of staff to [...]

Joint call on prime minister to unblock the NHS workforce plan2023-06-01T09:47:49+01:00

CCEHC writes to NHS England regarding the Special School Eye Care Service

2023-02-27T10:31:17+00:00

The Clinical Council for Eye Health Commissioning (CCEHC), of which BIOS is a member, has written to NHS England urging them to commission a School Eye Care Service for children with special needs. Sent to: Head of Dental and Ophthalmic Services (Primary Care Commissioning), NHSE Deputy Director for Dental and Ophthalmic contracts, NHSE National Clinical Director for Eye Care, NHSE National Clinical Director for Learning Disability and Autism, NHSE Senior Programme Lead – Optical Commissioning NHS England - Primary Care Dear Colleagues, We are writing to you today within the scope of the Memorandum of Understanding between [...]

CCEHC writes to NHS England regarding the Special School Eye Care Service2023-02-27T10:31:17+00:00

BIOS joins with other AHPs to launch #PrescribingNow campaign

2023-02-20T07:58:12+00:00

BIOS today joined with other allied health professions to call on the UK Government to extend independent prescribing responsibilities to orthoptists and other health professions, to deliver better patient care and reduce pressure on health services across the four nations. The #PrescribingNow campaign is calling on the UK Government to use the powers it has under the Medicines and Medical Devices Act (2021) to extend independent prescribing responsibilities to dietitians, occupational therapists, orthoptists, diagnostic radiographers, and speech and language therapists where it is safe and appropriate to do so within the scope of their professional practice. The campaign is a [...]

BIOS joins with other AHPs to launch #PrescribingNow campaign2023-02-20T07:58:12+00:00

NHS unions stand #WithNHSStaff taking action on pay and staffing

2022-12-15T08:20:22+00:00

NHS trade unions have confirmed their support for all health workers taking industrial action on pay and staffing this winter. Health unions recognise the urgent need for pay investment to prevent more staff leaving the NHS and further damage to patient care. Despite calls for Government to address the crisis through an urgent retention package, Ministers imposed pay rises well under inflation, well short of what is needed to help health workers through the current cost of living crisis, and well below the amount needed to stop people leaving and maintain safe and effective standards of care While some unions [...]

NHS unions stand #WithNHSStaff taking action on pay and staffing2022-12-15T08:20:22+00:00

BIOS release definition on professional leadership

2022-11-28T11:47:46+00:00

BIOS and BOS TU have released the following definition of professional leadership: British and Irish Orthoptic Society definition of professional leadership Professional leadership for an orthoptist or orthoptists can only be provided by an orthoptist. Unlike clinical leadership or operational management, professional leadership requires in-depth knowledge of the profession and a link to the relevant professional body. A professional leader will have an understanding of the strategy of both the employing organisation and the relevant professional body, and have the freedom and autonomy to ensure the staff they lead work in a way which complies with both. They will [...]

BIOS release definition on professional leadership2022-11-28T11:47:46+00:00