NHS England
NHS England South East Regional Team (Formerly Wessex)
Useful Contact details: April 2020
If requesting a change to NHS GOS Contract, email: england.southeastoptometry@nhs.net
Wessex Eye Health Needs Assessment and other useful information
The Accessible Information Standard
NHS England have introduced the Accessible Information Standard which is a legal requirement for all providers of NHS and adult social care services in England which includes GOS contractors.
The purpose of the standard is to ensure that people who have communication needs because of a disability or sensory loss receive information in a suitable format, ideally of their choice.
From 1 April 2016 you should, as a matter or normal routine practice, ask patients about their communication needs they may have and ensure that you record that information on their notes. You must follow the standard in full by 31 July 2016.
As part of the Accessible Information Standard you must do 5 things. These are:
- Ask: as a matter of routine you must enquire if a new or returning patient has any information or communication support needs relating to a disability, sensory loss or other impairment.
- Record: clearly and consistently record those needs in the patient’s records.
- Alert/Flag: the record needs must be ‘highly visible’ – so that it can be seen and acted upon whenever the patient’s records is accessed.
- Share: you should include any information about a patient’s information and communication needs at referral, discharge and handover, following your existing data sharing processes.
- Act: make reasonable adjustments to ensure that people receive information in a format they can understand.
More information on the Accessible Information Standard
More information on the Accessible Information Standard can be found on the NHS England website www.england.nhs.uk/accessibleinfo
Charities including Action on Hearing Loss, CHANGE, Sense and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) also have information on their websites.
The ‘Information Standards Notice’, which tells organisations how and why they must follow the standard, can be accessed via the Health and Social Care Information Centre website at www.hscic.gov.uk/isce/publication/scci1605
The Optical Confederation have also put together a couple of fact sheets that can be accessed by clicking the link http://www.opticalconfederation.org.uk/resources/guidance
NHSBSA Processing Contract Administration
The NHSBSA process contract administration on our behalf as part of a GOS contract application pilot. The NHSBSA process the following:-
Contract applications
New Mandatory Contract applications
New Additional Service applications
Contract termination
Terminating Mandatory contract
Terminating Additional Services contract
Variations to the contract
Adding/Removing a premises
Relocation of premises
Change of GOS hours
Other
Change of Director
Dispensing only applications
For further information and to access the various forms please go to the NHSBSA website which can be accessed via the link below.
https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/what-we-do/ophthalmic-provider-assurance/gos-contract-applications
The contact email address for the NHSBSA is: nhsbsa.pao-contractadmin@nhs.net
NHS Mail Application Process
The way of applying for an NHSmail has been replaced by an online process which is set out below. Please ensure that you follow this process.
The online application process and form can be accessed via this link.
On completion of the on line form Practices will be setup with a shared mail box, plus 2 further NHS mail addresses for which specific Practice Staff members can be nominated. It takes 2 weeks to set up NHSmail accounts.
Locum Clinicians are currently unable to apply for an NHS mail account unless they are GOS contractors. Applying contractors can nominate their Locum Clinicians as Users or Owners of an NHS mail account. Employees (clinical or non-clinical) would have to be nominated as owners of an NHS mail account by the applying contractor.
Registering for the Data Security & Protection Toolkit (DSPT):
The need to complete the DSPT has been deferred until 31 March 2021. However, all contractors will need to register for the DSPT on receipt of their NHS mail account. The registration process is easy to complete and can be found here:
https://www.dsptoolkit.nhs.uk/Account/Register
Please note: You will need your ODS code to register for the DSPT.