NHS Vale of York CCG & NHS Scarborough & Ryedale CCG Minor Eye Conditions Service

NHS Vale of York CCG and NHS Scarborough and Ryedale CCG are seeking providers to deliver the Minor Eye Conditions Service (MECS). NHS Vale of York is acting as lead commissioner for this procurement on behalf of NHS Vale of York CCG and NHS Scarborough and Ryedale CCG The aim of the service is to manage minor eye conditions in an optometrist-led community setting. It is expected that the service will control unnecessary and inappropriate referrals to Emergency Department, and Out Patient attendances for minor eye conditions. The MECS will utilise the knowledge and skills of primary care ophthalmic practitioners to deliver a specialist primary care optometry service, providing assessment and interventions which are beyond the scope of General Practice, but not requiring secondary care ophthalmology management. Patients will be managed within the service, in line with the scope and acceptance criteria. Those patients with symptoms which are excluded from the scope of the service will be signposted by the MECS to other services, for example voluntary sector support services, community pharmacy, or for a standard sight test. Only where clinically necessary will patients be referred to a secondary care services; the referring optometrist will clearly identify on the referral the clinical concern and suggested urgency, to facilitate efficient triage at the HES. The contract is due to commence on 1 December 2018 and is for 2 years with an option to extend for a further 2 years.