OHT Monitoring

November 2014
Swindon Glaucoma Ocular Hypertension (OHT) Monitoring Scheme

The purpose of this scheme is to move appropriate, diagnosed patients out of secondary care for monitoring by community optometrists. Patients will receive ongoing follow up appointments at appropriate intervals (as specified by NICE guidance).   
The patient eligibility criteria are patients registered with a GP practice in contract with NHS Swindon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). Therefore, in addition to Swindon optometrists, those outside the Swindon area are able to monitor patients who meet this criteria.  

Appropriate patients will be identified by the secondary care provider and provided with a Care Plan, Return Slip, patient leaflet and a list of accredited optometrists for OHT Monitoring. The patient must register with an accredited optometrist, who is then responsible for ensuring the patient attends ongoing monitoring appointments. Optometrists must only provide OHT monitoring for patients who bring their Care Plan and Return Slip from the secondary care provider.

Optometrists wishing to participate in the scheme will be required to complete an accreditation (the same as the accreditation for IOP Referral Refinement). This is through the accreditation programme 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 accreditation prior to taking part in the scheme.  

 

Optician practices Contract / Local Enhanced Service (LES)    The contract / LES is divided into 2 parts. Part 1 is the agreement with the practice (practice owner in most cases) and requires the practice 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.

If you are not yet an accredited optometrist or your practice has not yet signed the contract, please contact Phil Scott or Carolyn Elliott (contact details below).   
The OHT Monitoring form should be faxed directly to the Referral Support Centre at Swindon CCG on fax number 01793 704706. Forms cannot currently be emailed.   

Phil Scott, Primary Care Project Manager, Swindon Clinical Commissioning Group, Tel 01793 683700, email: philip.scott@swindonccg.nhs.uk
Carolyn Elliott, Contracts Administrator, Swindon Clinical Commissioning Group,  Tel 01793 683700,email:contractsadministrator@swindonccg.nhs.uk  

 

Please note

Forms on this page can only be used for patients registered with a Swindon GP practice who have been transferred from GWH with a Community Care Plan. Patients will bring this with them to register with an optician, in addition to a return slip, which you are required to return to the Referral Support Centre.