LOCSU holds a critical role within the optical sector in England, providing national support to local representative committees – Local Optical Committees (LOCs).
Our core activity focusses upon developing and supporting individual LOCs, whilst promoting a community of LOCs for the benefit of primary care optometry and to improve local health outcomes.
The LOCSU team provide LOC tailored training, communications, governance and compliance support alongside back-office functions (such as payroll and Primary Care Support England (PCSE) engagement/LOC levy processing), to enhance efficient operational LOCs and to nurture the eye health care leaders of the future. The central support is designed to maximise collective economies of scale for essential LOC functions and ensure a connected LOC community.
Ensuring that the local focus is upheld, LOCSU provides practical hands-on engagement across the country, working both regionally and with individual LOCs. In particular, we support work with local NHS commissioners during negotiation and delivery of enhanced primary care optometry services.
A network of Advancement Leads and subject matter experts actively support LOCs, providing national insight and evidence driven clinical pathways, resources and guidance to enable discussions with local decision makers. LOCSU is the leader in extended eye health service design and local commissioning (e.g. MECS, CUES, cataract and glaucoma services).
Our Services Directory is a complete listing of extended primary care eye health services offered across England.
We work closely with optical sector bodies: the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO); the Association of Optometrists (AOP); and the Federation of Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians (FODO), and the College of Optometrists.
Together, the sector bodies engage with wider professional, representative and health organisations including NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care as we work collectively to advance primary care optometry.
The Optometric Fees Negotiation Committee (OFNC) is the recognised negotiating body for General Ophthalmic Service (GOS) fees and grants for community optometry. LOCSU attends meetings as an observer and supports the link between OFNC and LOCs. The Committee itself is made up of LOCSU’s member organisations AOP, ABDO and FODO alongside the British Medical Association (BMA).
LOCSU differs from the other optical sector bodies. LOCs represent, at a local level, all contractors and performers who deliver sight tests (GOS) and eye care activity, and LOCSU has a defined role in representing LOC’s views to the wider NHS and other national stakeholders.
LOCSU is uniquely placed to leverage the expertise of LOCs, the LOCSU team, the LOCSU Board and the national bodies, to support strategic alignment at national, regional and local levels. As an eye health innovator, we work collaboratively across the sector, engaging in national discussions, consultations and policy forums, bringing forward the local eye health perspective.
