New Training Opportunities in Partnership With WOPEC
23 November 2022
LOCSU offers a wide range of training and development opportunities for LOCs and their members, including a facilitated induction course aimed at newer LOC members, an annual Leadership Skills Programme, and a range of clinical courses for extended primary care services to support the implementation of LOCSU’s pathways.
Both the Leadership Skills Programme and training in extended primary care services are delivered in partnership with the Wales Optometry Postgraduate Education Centre (WOPEC).
Some of our latest opportunities include a new Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine Retinopathy distance learning lecture series, peer discussion events, and the annual Leadership Skills Programme.
LOCSU has funded the development of these training packages for optometrists and dispensing opticians in England whose LOC is a LOCSU member and contributes to the LOCSU levy.
Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine Retinopathy Lecture Series
LOCSU in partnership with WOPEC is pleased to launch this module. This lecture series has been designed to complement the LOCSU pathway for people who are taking either Hydroxychloroquine or Chloroquine and require monitoring for retinopathy.
The LOCSU integrated care pathway is introduced which outlines how monitoring for retinopathy can be delivered, in alignment with the RCOphth Guideline, within a primary care setting.
Grant Robinson, Director of Postgraduate Taught Programmes at WOPEC said:
“The series aims to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of case-finding for Hydroxychloroquine and Chloroquine retinopathy, and so improve the speed at which people are diagnosed and referred for management to prevent sight loss.
“This is achieved through the delivery of 2 self-directed, interactive online lectures: (i) Hydroxychloroquine: Background, Uses and Side Effects and (ii) Hydroxychloroquine: Retinopathy Monitoring and Treatment.”
Zoe Richmond, Clinical Director, LOCSU added:
“We launched the Maculopathy OCT Interpretation lecture series this time last year and these new lectures provide an excellent enhancement for learners”
Peer Discussion Events
Many of you asked us if we could arrange more of these events due to the demand for places last year. Two further sessions are provided by LOCSU and for practitioners in a Local Optical Committee (LOC) in England.
Virtual peer discussions comprise of three clinical cases from primary eye care practice. Each case will feature aspects of LOCSU Clinical Pathways, such as Children’s Vision, Integrated Cataract, Minor Eye Condition and Glaucoma Referral Filtering and Monitoring.
The session encourages reflection on how best to use extended primary eye care services in your region to deliver excellent care to your patients. Cases have been kindly provided by LOC members across England and further developed by the team at WOPEC.
Session facilitators will be practitioners from LOCSU and WOPEC and attendee numbers are capped at 7 maximum per group to allow good interaction with your peers.
CPD points have been approved for 3 interactive provider-led peer review points.
Booking is via the WOPEC website and further information regarding the Zoom platform invitation and session etiquette will be given by WOPEC.
You must ensure you have good visual and audio connection to participate.
Cases will be given a few days before the event to allow you to view and/or print them ready for the discussion.
Cases are the same in each session, so you only need to pick one.
Session 1
Tuesday 6 December 2022 18.30–20.00. Book here.
Session 2
Tuesday 7 February 2023 18.30–20.00. Book here.
Contact wopec@cardiff.ac.uk
Leadership Skills Course
Time is running out if you want to take your skills to the next level on our annual leadership course.
LOCSU’s Leadership Skills for Optical Professionals is a 20-credit postgraduate module, and part of WOPEC’s MSc programme at Cardiff University. This could be a consideration for those eye care professionals who would like to work towards a postgraduate certificate or the MSc. It provides an understanding of current leadership models and theoretical approaches and will give delegates the background knowledge and practical skills that will equip them to provide leadership in the optical sector.
The course is open to Optometrists who are BSc qualified and Dispensing Opticians who are FBDO qualified (level 6).
LOCSU will be funding up to 10 places on the 2023 cohort. If you would like to be considered for a funded place please download the application from the LOCSU website and return to: jacquefooks@locsu.co.uk, with a covering note from your LOC Chair on why you would be considered a good candidate.
Applications will close at 5pm on Monday 5 December.
Full details and timings are available here.
LOCSU/WOPEC Training Courses
There is a wide selection of clinical courses already available: Minor Eye Conditions Service (MECS); Glaucoma; Pre and Post-Operative Cataract; Low Vision; Learning Disabilities; Paediatrics; Maculopathy.
All courses comprise of WOPEC distance learning lectures with multiple choice questions (MCQ), the content is peer reviewed and regularly updated, lectures are GOC CPD approved and an individualised WOPEC pdf certificate is issued on completion.
For details of the existing courses download our 2022 brochure here:
In 2023 LOCSU and WOPEC will continue to enhance our training and development opportunities for LOCs, and their members. This will commence with a new module aligned to the new naevus referral filtering and monitoring pathway, co-developed by Professor Barbara Ryan and Professor Bertil Damato. We aim to launch this new module on Monday 9th January.