Commentary on Sections Ophthalmic Services
180.General ophthalmic services (GOS) are at present provided by optometrists (previously known as ophthalmic opticians) and ophthalmic medical practitioners (OMPs) under Part 2 of the National Health Service Act 1977 (“the 1977 Act”). These services are purely sight testing services.
181.Part 2 of that Act previously governed the services not only of optometrists and OMPs but also of general medical practitioners, dentists and chemists (the NHS “in the high street”).
182.The Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003 repealed the provisions in Part 2 of the 1977 Act regarding the provision of services by general medical practitioners and dentists and provided in their place for primary medical services and primary dental services respectively under Part 1 of the 1977 Act. The general effect of these new provisions was to replace the previous arrangements for such services with new general medical services (GMS) or general dental services (GDS) contracts with providers (i.e. those bodies that provided the services contracted for), whilst having a new list system for performers (i.e. the health service professionals who actually perform the services).
183.The provisions in this Act will introduce a new “contract system” for the provision of ophthalmic services in place of the present system, very much on the model of what has already been done for primary medical services and primary dental services.
184.Part 2 of the 1977 Act will remain in force for the delivery of pharmaceutical services.