Surrey

Welcome to the Surrey Local Optical Committee:

This website will provide useful information about procedures and services provided in Surrey, along with the latest news from LOCSU and updates from the 6 Surrey Clinical Commissioning Groups.

You will also find the signed off minutes of the LOC committee meetings including the AGM and other valuable downloadable documents.

If you have any questions about our work please do not hesitate to get in touch via E mail at surrey.loc @btinternet.com or call the office on 020 8894 2633

The Surrey LOC is the official organisation which represents all optometrists and opticians in our area. The main role of the LOC is to work with local CCGs to make community eye care services accessible to patients and cost effective for the NHS.

The objective of this website is to provide eye care practitioners, other health care professionals and the public with information about all aspects of eye care provision available within the Surrey LOC

Purpose of the LOC

Liaising with the local CCGs and other organisations and advise on matters affecting the optical practitioners undertaking general ophthalmic services in the area

Disseminating information to the profession on mandatory procedures and best practice and to assist understanding and compliance of terms of service

Assisting in the formulation of collective views on the administration of eye services and to make suggestions for their improvement and implementation

As a CET provider supplying a programme of continuing education and training free to practitioners who work in Surrey

Developing the role of optometry in the community

LOC Funding

All Local Representative Committees collect a Statutory Levy. Our levy is received from NHS England derived from each NHS eye examination conducted.

The levy is calculated by the number of exams conducted over the previous year and averaged. Then, deducted proportionally from all optical practices within in Surrey geographical area.

A website for optical professionals in Surrey.

What is an LOC?

The first constitution of an LOC was in 1969. The Local Optometric Committee (LOC) is a statutory body established to represent performers and contractors working in the area providing General Ophthalmic Services (GOS). The area it covers is co-terminus with that of Surrey Primary Care Trusts (PCT). The Constitution can be accessed on this site which details the Committee’s objectives, proceedings and record of meetings and election process of members and officers

LOC involvement.

(i) General Optical Services (GOS)
To oversee the management of GOS and any changes that is introduced for improvement to eyecare services

(ii) Enhanced Services
The LOC has helped to organise and establish enhanced services within the area, such as direct cataract referral cataract for all practices in Surrey.
Primary Acute Eyecare Referral Scheme (PEARS) and Management of the Stable Glaucoma patient are currently awarded to some practices in previous PCT area. This has not been extended since the merge of 5 PCTS to one large Surrey PCT. The Loc continue to have discussions with PCT to extend these schemes surrey wide
The LOC is committed to promote the role of community optometry in enhancing eye care services and making more effective use of primary and secondary care resources. The LOC is very clear that if optometrists in the community are commissioned to undertake such additional responsibilities, this must be properly funded. GOS only funds an NHS sight test.

LOC Funding

All Local Representative Committees collect a Statutory Levy. Our levy is received from the Primary Care Trusts via Primary Care Support Services (PCSS) derived from each NHS eye examination conducted.

The levy is calculated by the number of exams conducted over the previous year and averaged. Then, deducted proportionally from all optical practices within in Surrey PCT’ geographical area.