Practice Plus Group Ophthalmology – North West Macula Service
Tel: 0333 200 4058
Email: practiceplusgrp.macular@nhs.net
Website: practiceplusgroup.comLongridge Civic Hall (Every other Tuesday)
1 Calder Avenue
Preston
PR3 3HJBamber Bridge (Mon-Fri)
As of 30th September 2024, the mobile service in B+Q will cease to operate and we shall be delivering the service from our new fixed site.
Practice Plus Group Ophthalmology
Cottonmill Road
Bamber Bridge
Preston
PR5 6LF.B&Q Chorley (Every Monday)
Highfields Industrial Estate
Preston
PR7 1QDASDA Fulwood (Every Other Tuesday)
Asda Car Park
Eastway
Fulwood
Preston
PR2 9NPWET AMD REFERRALS SHOULD BE SENT TO NORTH WEST MACULA SERVICE VIA OPERA
(Note: you can still use the below pathway if you have yet to complete onboarding to Opera)
Practice Plus Group provide treatment for Macular Conditions to patients across the North West of England. In order for referrals to be accurately process and patients to be seen within 72 hours of referral, the service uses the fast-track referral form.
Practice Plus Group are able to treat the following conditions:
- Wet Macular Degeneration (WAMD)
- Diabetic Macular Oedema (DMO)
- Vein Occlusions (VO)
- Neovascular membranes associated with myopia (Myopic CNVM)
They cannot accept referrals for:
- Dry AMD
- Epiretinal Membranes
- Macular Holes
Please note that any co-pathology (e.g. glaucoma) should be referred separately – see Routine & Urgent Pathways.
You should always phone to request confirmation of receipt of a faxed referral.
All routine referrals for patients with a Blackpool, Fylde or Wyre GP should be sent to the ICB’s Referral Management Centre (RMC) team via Opera.
Remember that with ‘routine’ you should assume it will be up to 3 months before the patient is seen so for anything more urgent you should follow the urgent/emergency pathway.
If you are unable to use Opera please use this Ophthalmology Referral Template in preference to any other format (eg. GOS18) and email to the RMC team, in pdf, word or jpeg format, using an NHS.net account. You will receive a confirmation email to indicate your referral is being processed or a return email advising the referral needs amending and resending.
Use of the above template is strongly recommended. It will assist the process of uploading the referrals to the NHS Electronic Referral System (eRS). Using different formats will slow down processing and increase opportunities for error and omissions. If you are unable to use the template, please ensure all the information requested is included in your referral.
NHS Numbers significantly improve speed and accuracy of referral processing, making it safer for our patients. While optical practices do not currently routinely collect NHS numbers, including them in the referral makes an enormous difference.
- www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/online-services/find-nhs-number – will instantly text the NHS number to a mobile phone
Please consider if your practice could collect and record NHS numbers as part of patient registration or booking procedures.
Referrals will be rejected if they are incomplete. The ICB and RMC wish to work with optical practices to implement a safe and efficient system. Please be aware that it may be necessary to reject referrals if insufficient information is provided to enable accurate processing.
Please do not hesitate to call 01772 325100 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm), should you require further information on this service.
Lancashire Eye Centre
Chorley & South Ribble Hospital
Preston Rd
Chorley
PR7 1PP**Emergency referrals should be sent to Lancashire Teaching Hospitals via Opera**
Emergency Triage: 01257 245346 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.30pm)
Emergency Email: eye.emergencies@lthtr.nhs.uk (for same day triage by nurse)
Urgent Email: mlcsu.ophthalmologyurgent@nhs.net (non-emergencies to be seen within 6 weeks – using nhsmail only)
Switchboard: 01772 716565 available 24hrs (ask for Operator)(Note: you can still use the below pathway if you have yet to complete onboarding to Opera)
PLEASE DO NOT SEND THE SAME REFERRAL TO BOTH THE EMERGENCY AND URGENT ADDRESSES AS THIS IS CAUSING MULTIPLE BOOKINGS WITH SECONDARY CARE
All Emergency referrals should be made via the dedicated triage phone line when open. Please only phone switchboard out of hours or weekends, this will take you to an automated system where you should say “Operator” to be put through to switchboard.
The Emergency email is checked regularly throughout the working day between 9am -5pm Mon-Fri.
Outside clinic times, if the patient needs immediate medical assessment then phone the hospital switchboard and speak to the on call ophthalmologist (Usually an Associate Specialist or Specialist Registrar, not a Consultant) to make arrangements. You will usually also be asked to email referral details this should be done via Opera where possible.
*****During office hours patients will be seen at the new Ophthalmology Unit in Chorley. Outside office hours the on call doctor will advise whether the patient needs to attend A&E at Preston or Chorley as appropriate.*****
If you are unable to use Opera please use this Ophthalmology Referral Template. in preference to any other format (eg. GOS18) and email to the RMC team, in pdf, word or jpeg format, using an NHS.net account. You will receive a confirmation email to indicate your referral is being processed or a return email advising the referral needs amending and resending.
Use of the above template is strongly recommended. It will assist the process of uploading the referrals to the NHS Electronic Referral System (eRS). Using different formats will slow down processing and increase opportunities for error and omissions. If you are unable to use the template, please ensure all the information requested is included in your referral.
NHS Numbers significantly improve speed and accuracy of referral processing, making it safer for our patients. While optical practices do not currently routinely collect NHS numbers, including them in the referral makes an enormous difference.
- www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/online-services/find-nhs-number – will instantly text the NHS number to a mobile phone
Please consider if your practice could collect and record NHS numbers as part of patient registration or booking procedures.
Referrals will be rejected if they are incomplete. The ICB and RMC wish to work with optical practices to implement a safe and efficient system. Please be aware that it may be necessary to reject referrals if insufficient information is provided to enable accurate processing.
Please do not hesitate to call 01772 325100 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm), should you require further information on this service.
Cataract Referrals
All cataract referrals for patients with a Preston, Chorley or South Ribble GP should be sent to the ICB’s Referral Management Centre (RMC) team via Opera.
If you are unable to use Opera please use this Ophthalmology Referral Template in preference to any other format (eg. GOS18) and email to the RMC team, in pdf, word or jpeg format, using an NHS.net account. You will receive a confirmation email to indicate your referral is being processed or a return email advising the referral needs amending and resending.
Use of the above template is strongly recommended. It will assist the process of uploading the referrals to the NHS Electronic Referral System (eRS). Using different formats will slow down processing and increase opportunities for error and omissions. If you are unable to use the template, please ensure all the information requested is included in your referral.
Patient Choice regarding surgical providers for cataract surgery will take place with the RMC team and is recorded for audit purposes. Please do not have the choice discussion with the patient or note a preferred provider on the referral form.
NHS Numbers significantly improve speed and accuracy of referral processing, making it safer for our patients. While optical practices do not currently routinely collect NHS numbers, including them in the referral makes an enormous difference.
- www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/online-services/find-nhs-number – will instantly text the NHS number to a mobile phone
Please consider if your practice could collect and record NHS numbers as part of patient registration or booking procedures.
Referrals will be rejected if they are incomplete. The ICB and RMC wish to work with optical practices to implement a safe and efficient system. Please be aware that it may be necessary to reject referrals if insufficient information is provided to enable accurate processing.
Please do not hesitate to call 01772 325100 (Mon-Fri 8am-6pm), should you require further information on this service.
Post Cataract Service
Practitioners accredited with Primary Eyecare Services can provide post operative cataract checks on Opera for all patients registered with a Lancashire & South Cumbria GP.
Post op cataract service specification: Here
Please Note:
- A GOS sight test fee can be claimed for both the 1st and 2nd eyes. In the rare event a patient is under 60 and not eligible for a GOS sight test then only the post cat fee can be claimed – practices must not charge these patients for a sight test as service must be free at the point of access.
- Practices cannot add post cat patients to opera themselves. If the patient is not visible on your Opera dashboard, use the blue chat bubble in the first instance to ensure the surgical provider has referred to the correct practice. If Primary Eyecare confirm the patient has not been added by the surgical provider, the practice will need to contact the provider to add them before arranging an appointment using the details below.
Blackpool Teaching Hospital – bfwh.eyesecretaries@nhs.net
University Hospital Morecambe Bay – ophthalmologyclinicalbusinessunit@mbht.nhs.uk
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals – eyeward@lthtr.nhs.uk
East Lancashire Hospitals – TBC
iSight – isight.clinics@nhs.net
Fulwood Hall – not onboarded yet
SpaMedica – post-op.team@spamedica.co.uk
CHEC – engagement@chec.uk
Optegra – optegra.postops@nhs.netNB: Practices must send the request from an NHS.net account when sending patient identifiable data.Opera help & support for cataract services can be found here
REFERRALS FOR SUBLUXED IOLS – LTHTr
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals have issued the following advice for practitioners needing to refer a sub-luxed IOL. Please share this with your colleagues, including locums.
“The best referral route into HES for these patients is via eye emergencies clinic, but the patient’s details will be forwarded to our vitreo-retinal colleagues for triage as this is not a “same-day” emergency. The patient will be contacted and offered an appointment in a VR clinic in an appropriate – and relatively short – timescale, but it is unlikely to be immediate. We’d like to ask for help in managing patient expectations to minimise anxiety.”
SpaMedica – Preston
Urgent Queries (On call clinical team available 24/7): 0330 058 4280 – 24hr/365 days helpline for patients & optometrists .
Non urgent Queries: Please reach out your local Service Promotions Executive.
Preston/Chorley area: Barry Gallon, Service Promotions Executive – 07749 720 08 / Barry.Gallon@spamedica.co.uk
- Leanne Durante: Regional Promotions Manager for North England – 07535 407 600 / Leanne.Durante@spamedica.co.uk)
Based locally and available for store/practice visits, hospital tours, local CPD event information and any patient/optometrist queries
- Contact Centre also available on – 0330 058 4280 – 8am to 6pm for Referral Team, Booking Team, Transport Team & Post-op Team.
CHEC – Preston
Dedicated Practitioner phoneline: 01772 958404. This helpline is for clinicians only.
Urgent queries (24h emergency careline): 0344 264 4162. This helpline is for patients.
Non urgent queries: Please contact your local NHS Partnership Executive Kirsty Serdiville – M: 07742 875332 E: kirsty.s@chec.uk
Our contact centre is available on: 0344 264 4160. This number is for our referral, booking and patient transport team. Open Monday – Friday 8am to 6pm, and Saturday 8am to 4pm.
Live chat is available on our website – please visit www.chec.uk.Other useful contact emails:
Customer Services: customerservices@chec.uk
Engagement Team: engagement@chec.ukOptegra – Bamber Bridge, Preston
Emergency on-call clinical team – out of hours: 07825 587994.
Clinical & General Advice: 8.30am-6pm Mon-Fri Phone: 02031379418 or email: optegra.advice@nhs.net
Non urgent queries: Please reach out to your local Service Promotions Executive David Jeffery M: 07485 983713 E: david.jeffery@optegra.com Hospital tours and CPD events are available. Please contact David.
Other useful contacts:
NHS Referral Support Liaison (for Optometrists)– Cody Hardy will provide a rapid response to patient pathway queries such as checking patient progress, help with Opera, or NHS referral related support. Dedicated phoneline: 07485 983734, open 9am to 5pm on weekdays.Email: NRSL.Optegra@nhs.net. All email queries will be resolved within 2 hours, during weekday office hours.Community Urgent Eyecare Services
Practitioners accredited with Primary Eyecare Services can provide CUES using the Opera Platform for any patient registered with a Lancashire & South Cumbria GP.
CUES enables patients to be seen in community optical practice for urgent assessment of acute ocular presentations, thereby reducing the burden on the hospital eye service.
Presenting conditions will typically include :-
- Acute visual changes – flashes and floaters, visual distortion, sudden or transient vision loss/reduction, field loss, and diplopia.
- Ocular discomfort – painful, red, sore, sticky, watery, itchy, dry, or irritated eye(s) or eyelid(s).
- Abrasions and foreign bodies – known history of low velocity, non-penetrating, and nonchemical injury.
- Other presentations requiring urgent clinical investigation but not suitable for GOS and not appropriate for eye casualty.
CUES is not optimal for the following presentations:
- Sudden and sustained loss of vision, or vision loss with malaise
- Chemical or high velocity/penetrating eye injuries
- Post-operative complications from recent eye surgery
- Sudden onset diplopia
- Headaches with no visual symptoms
Patients should be redirected to a more appropriate setting unless,
- they have already been redirected into CUES from elsewhere.
- they are unable to access alternatives within suitable timescale.
CUES service specification: Here
Opera help & support for CUES can be found here
Please Note:
- There are no age restrictions for CUES
- Please can all CUES practices ensure that they triage CUES patients and add them to OPERA, then look to find an appointment in the system for the patient by ringing round alternative practices. The triaged episode can then be sent on to the practice which will examine the patient.
- OCT can only be claimed for patients with a sudden drop in vision with central distortion and not for any other presentations.
- The CUES fee covers follow up appointments for the same condition for up to 3 months.
Non-accredited practices should use the find a practice site to refer any patient presenting with symptoms suggestive of an urgent eye condition to a nearby participating CUES practice. Please ring the practice first to check for availability.
FIND A PRACTICE
A list of accredited optical practices currently providing the service is available on the Primary Eyecare Website using the ‘Find a Practice’ tool. This shows the most up to date information.
Glaucoma Repeat Readings (GRR)
Practitioners accredited with Primary Eyecare Services (Wopec Glaucoma Level 1) can provide GRR using the Opera Platform for any patient registered with a Lancashire & South Cumbria GP.
GRR service specification: Here
Non participating practices should refer patients with raised IOP and/or suspicious visual fields (but normal optic discs) to an accredited practice on opera by selecting:- primary care services-> GRR -> select accredited practice.
Glaucoma Enhanced Case Finding (GECF/GRRS)
Practitioners accredited with Primary Eyecare Services (Wopec Glaucoma Level 2 or higher) can provide GECF/GRRS using the Opera Platform for any patient registered with a Lancashire & South Cumbria GP.
Practices accredited to do GECF cannot provide GRR and should process all episodes as GECF.
GECF/GRRS service specification: Here
Non participating practices should refer patients with raised IOP and/or suspicious visual fields and/or suspicious optic discs to an accredited practice on opera by selecting:- primary care services-> GECF/GRRS -> select accredited practice.
For practices not on Opera please consider onboarding, otherwise, contact an accredited practice then send a GOS18 referral to them via NHS.net, confirming receipt. PLEASE DO NOT TELL PATIENTS TO RING ROUND OR JUST TURN UP. You can find local accredited practices by emailing hello@referrals.support.
Hydroxychloroquine Retinal Monitoring
The RCOphth guidelines¹ regarding retinal monitoring for hydroxychloroquine retinopathy were updated again in December 2020 and no longer recommend baseline ‘screening’.
It is for the drug prescriber, commonly a Rheumatologist, Dermatologist or GP, to determine the patient’s risk and refer to the local ophthalmology department for HCQ monitoring.The need for referral is based on the following:
- Duration of treatment
- Low risk patients require monitoring after 5 years
- High risk patients require monitoring after 1 year
- High risk factors:
- Dose >5mg per kg
- Concomitant tamoxifen use
- Reduced eGFR (less than 60ml/min)
- Taking chloroquine
Local Medical Retina teams need all the information above in any referral. The LOC recommends that Optometrists who consider their patients need to be referred for monitoring write to the drug prescriber requesting consideration of the above clinical detail. If the Optometrist feels that a direct referral is more appropriate it would be helpful to establish that a referral has not already been made by another clinician (eg GP) in order to avoid duplication.
HCQ monitoring in the HES does not replace regular sight testing and will not assess for any other pathology. Refer via the usual channels for all other conditions.Local hospital optometry colleagues may be able to assist with queries:
Asma Adam (LTHTR)¹Royal College of Ophthalmologists Guidance https://www.rcophth.ac.uk/wpcontent/uploads/2020/12/Hydroxychloroquine-and-Chloroquine-Retinopathy-Monitoring-Guideline.pdf
- Duration of treatment
The service should be available to anyone who is recognised by their GP as having a mild, moderate or severe learning disability who are on a local learning disability register. The patient must be registered with a GP practice in the Lancashire and South Cumbria area, or be a Lancashire & South Cumbria resident and not registered with a GP anywhere.
This commissioned service is a service with reasonable adjustments for someone who would not be able to use a standard eye test.
This includes:
- pre-appointment visits,
- completion of a functional vision assessment if needed,
- longer appointment time with an accredited practitioner in learning disabilities and autism
- feedback forms completed by the optometrist.
The results of the examination are reported using the agreed appropriate format. WOPEC accreditation is required to provide this service.
The orthoptist team at Blackpool Victoria Hospital are keen to support optometrists and can be contacted at bfwh.orthoptics@nhs.net
Easy Eyecare service specification: Here
Opera help & support for Easy Eyecare can be found here
FIND A PRACTICE
A list of accredited optical practices currently providing the service is available on the Primary Eyecare Website using the ‘Find a Practice’ tool. This shows the most up to date information.
If you require any further information or have any queries regarding the service, please contact Primary Eyecare Services on hello@referral.support and a member of the team will be in touch.
Practitioners accredited with Primary Eyecare Services (Wopec Low Vision) can provide this service using the Opera Platform for any patient registered with a Lancashire & South Cumbria GP.
Patients may be referred in by another optical practitioner, GP, Hospital Eye Service (HES), social services, third sector etc or may self-refer.
Low Vision service specification: Here
Note: the 6 week telephone follow up can be done by admin staff and not a LV practitioner.
Opera help & support for Low Vision can be found here
FIND A PRACTICE
A list of accredited optical practices currently providing the service is available on the Primary Eyecare Website using the ‘Find a Practice’ tool. This shows the most up to date information.
If you require any further information or have any queries regarding the service, please contact Primary Eyecare Services on hello@referral.support and a member of the team will be in touch.
The following page details the Low Vision, ECLO, Voluntary and Statutory services available in Preston, Chorley & South Ribble.
NONE OF THESE RESOURCES REQUIRE SOMEONE TO BE REGISTERED SIGHT IMPAIRED / SEVERELY SIGHT IMPAIRED IN ORDER TO RECEIVE ASSISTANCE.
Low Vision Service: A clinically informed evaluation of the impact of sight loss on an individual and identification of a variety of strategies to meet the resulting challenges. Making best use of remaining vision using magnifiers, lighting, visual aids, and sight training strategies.
Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO): The link between primary and secondary care clinical services and non-clinical support services for people with sight loss. ECLO’s provide emotional support, practical advice, impartial information, guidance, and advocacy and connect with other community resources.
Local Council: Statutory support and rehabilitation via Rehabilitation Officers for the Visually Impaired (ROVIs).
Voluntary & Community Organisations: Charities and other groups that provide a wide range of support services.
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Trust
Royal Preston Hospital
Sharoe Green Lane
Fulwood
Preston
PR2 9HTChorley and South Ribble Hospital
Preston Rd
Chorley
PR7 1PPFor Paediatrics:
Avenham Health Centre
Avenham Lane
Preston
PR1 3RGInternal Referrals & Contact: OrthopticsLVA@lthtr.nhs.ukReferrals from Primary Care: via EeRS/standard referral pathway
Staff
- Razia Choksi (Orthoptist)
ECLO
Lancashire Eye Centre & Galloways
- Paula Haughton (Galloways)
Email: paula.houghton2@nhs.net or paula.houghton@galloways.org.uk - Nicola Smith (Galloways)
Email: nicola.smith244@nhs.net
Additional Resource (non-commissioned): Low Vision Aid Assessments available for a nominal fee
UCLAN Eye Health Clinic
Contact: Hannah Ward (Clinic Co-ordinator)
Email: EyeClinic@uclan.ac.uk
Phone: 01772 891900Local Voluntary/Community
Galloways – Preston
Howick Park Avenue
Preston
PR1 0LS
Phone: 01772 744148Galloways – Chorley
1A Farrington Street
Chorley
PR7 1DY
Phone: 01257 275160Claire Kinley (Optometrist)
Referrals: galloways.lowvision@nhs.net
Please use Galloways referral formLocal Council – Lancashire County Council Sensory Impairment Team
Lancashire County Council Sensory Impairment Team
Tel: 03001236720
Website: csc.acscustomerservices@lancashire.gov.uk
Referral form: needs assessment to aid independent living. Note: Patients do not need to be registered sight impaired to be entitled to an assessment from the council.National Charities
Sightline
Charity based in NW England offering a free telephone-based befriending service designed to reduce loneliness and isolation for anyone living with a visual impairment.
Guide Dogs
Support to live actively, independently, and well with sight loss
RNIB
Inspiring people with sight loss to transform their personal experience
Macular Society
There is no need to face macular disease alone
Glaucoma UK
Supporting people to live well with glaucoma
glaucoma.uk Blind Veterans
Helping blind ex-Service people lead independent and fulfilling lives
Deaf Blind UK
Showing people that there can be a life beyond deafblindness
SeeAbility
Supporting people who have learning disabilities or autism
Sense
For everyone living with complex disabilities
