Guidance

Letter setting out general ophthalmic services fees from April 2021

Published 30 March 2021

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/general-ophthalmic-service-fees-and-voucher-values-from-april-2021/letter-setting-out-general-ophthalmic-services-fees-from-april-2021

General ophthalmic services: NHS sight test fee, NHS optical voucher values, payments for continuing education and training, pre-registration supervisors grant and the hospital maximum charge

Summary

I am writing to notify you of:

  1. the NHS sight test fee and NHS domiciliary fees from 1 April 2021
  2. optical voucher values from 1 April 2021
  3. the hospital eye service charges from 1 April 2021
  4. continuing education and training payment for 2020, payable in 2021
  5. grant payable to supervisors of pre-registration trainees from 1 April 2021

Please could you bring this information to the attention of all staff dealing with general ophthalmic services, the hospital eye service, optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners.

1. NHS sight test fee and NHS domiciliary fee

Following consultations with representatives of the professions, the Secretary of State has determined that the NHS sight test fee should be increased to £21.71.

For superannuation purposes please note that for ophthalmic medical practitioners the practice expense component of the sight test fee will be £5.51 from April 2021.

The fees payable to GOS contractors for NHS domiciliary visits will be £38.27 for the first and second patients seen at one visit and £9.58 for the third and subsequent patients.

Revised general ophthalmic services contracts (payments) directions are attached which apply from 1 April 2021.

2. NHS optical voucher values

HS optical voucher values remain unchanged for 2020 to 2021.

3. Hospital eye service maximum charge

From 1 April 2021 the hospital Eye service maximum charges will continue to be:

  • £70.00 for single vision lenses
  • £113.80 in any other case
  • £57.00 per contact lens

The NHS (charges for optical appliances) directions 2016 remain in force.

4. Payments for continuing education and training

The payment for 2020, in respect of continuing education and training, undertaken by optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners, without another medical appointment (i.e. who do no other remunerative work but the testing of sight), will increase to £584.

Details of how to make a claim during the claim window, which will run from 1st July to 31st October 2021, can be found on Primary Care Support England.

Updated general ophthalmic services contracts (continuing education and training allowances) payments directions will be published on gov.uk shortly.

5. Pre-registration training for optometrists

From 1 April 2021 the allowance paid to supervisors of pre-registration trainees will increase to £3,762. Claims from trainers taking on pre-registration trainees on or after 1 April 2021 should be paid at this new rate.

Yours faithfully,

Alette Addison Head of Dental and Eye Care Services

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