Primary Eye Care Services Post Operative Cataract for WE 26-28

Description

The Post Operative Cataract Service (POCS) is service under the Primary Eyecare Services (PES) contract allowing low-risk patients to be reviewed for the post-op follow-up appointment outside of traditional hospital-based pathways, with community Optometrists. This includes patients who have had routine, uncomplicated cataract surgery. <br/>To confirm as per the PSR Direct Award Process C, the existing provider is satisfying the existing contract, delivering a good service, meeting all KPIs, with no quality concerns and good outcomes and has very good feedback from patients and are likely to satisfy the new contract, and the proposed contracting arrangements are not changing from the existing contract. Lot 1: Follow-up appointments are provided in the community within 4-6 weeks after surgery, combined with the require sight test, meaning only one appointment for patients rather than two. The POCS is a clinical examination to check for, or treat, any postoperative complications, assess visual outcome and refractive status. If no complications then a patient is discharged from the POCS and the provider is updated on this outcome, by suitably qualified clinicians locally, in a safe, convenient and appropriate environment. Where there are complications safely referred back to the provider. This should also see a reduction in outpatient follow-up appointments in an acute setting freeing up sessions and clinics for addressing the review list and outpatient first attendances.<br/><br/>A POCS Pilot for 12 months period was carried out with Primary Eye Care services from May-22 to Mar-23. A six month extension period was agreed to allow decision on POCS from Mar-23 to Sep-23. <br/>In Aug-23, POCS Evaluation was presented to West Essex Transformation Committee, with finanical modelling. Business case was taken through the triple lock process and it was agreed to commission the POCS service for 18 months from Oct-23 – Apr 25. The POCS was re-evaluated in Aug 24 to review is impact. Recommendation was to continue the service as achieving KPI’s. <br/><br/>The contract award and extension of the POCS service from 1st Apr 2026-31st Mar 2028 was agreed at Essex Joint Executive Committee on 06/01/26 & the Central East Central Payer Function Committee on 16.01.26.<br/><br/>Contract is being awarded to the existing provider following Direct Award Process C.