Notice to GPs for Information (City and Hackney/Newham/Tower Hamlets/Waltham Forest)

A single point of access (SPoA) for optometrist referrals is shortly to go live on the 30 October. This will allow community Optometrists to refer directly to Secondary care without the need for a GP referral. Please read the attached information sheet for further details. 

This will shorten and improve patient pathways whilst also reducing the administrative burden on General Practice. 

It will initially be a pilot service and will only be for optometrists who have nhs.net email accounts However, over the next several months all optometrists will be encouraged and supported to establish nhs.net email accounts if they don’t currently have them to enable secure referrals. 

Please be patient as we roll out the service to all community optometrists, this may take several months. 

If you have any queries please contact rcalveley@nhs.net