Introduction
This is a complete guide to the information routinely made available to the public by Enhanced Optometry Services. It is a description of the information about our NHS services that we make publicly available. It will be reviewed at regular intervals.
How is the information made available?
The information within each Class is available in hard copy from:
15 Market Hill, Coggeshall, Essex, CO6 1TS
or can be printed from this website.
We will publish any changes we make to this guide or relevant information. We will also publish any proposed changes or additions to publications already available.
For the most part, we will only charge for hard copies, or copies onto media. Charges are as follows and will be reviewed regularly.
- Accessed from our website – free of charge
- Single hard copies – free of charge
- As the Freedom of Information Act applies to the provision of information, a request for multiple hard copies does not fall within the provisions of the Act and will attract a charge for retrieval, photocopying and postage. We will inform you of the cost of these charges that will have to be paid in
- E-mail will be free of charge.
Your Rights to Information
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is designed to promote openness and accountability amongst all organisations that receive public money.
Like all NHS contractors, since 1 January 2005 there has been a FOI obligation on optical practices to respond to requests about the NHS related information that they hold, and a right of access to that information has been established in law.
These rights are subject to exemptions (see below) that have to be taken into consideration before releasing information.
In addition to accessing the information identified in this guide, you are entitled to request information about our NHS services under the NHS Openness Code 1995.
Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you are also entitled to access your clinical records or any other personal information held about you and you can contact any practice where your records are held to do this.
Feedback
If you have any comments about the operation of the Publication Scheme, or how we have dealt with your request for information from the scheme, please write to:
Enhanced Optometry Services Ltd.
15 Market Hill, Coggeshall, Essex, CO6 1TS
Classes of Information
All NHS information at Enhanced Optometry Services is held, retained and destroyed within NHS guidelines. Our commitment to publish information excludes any information that can be legitimately withheld under the exemptions set out in the NHS Openness Code or Freedom of Information Act 2000, the main reasons being the protection of commercial interests and personal information under the Data Protection Act 1998. This scheme has been written in accordance with those exemptions. The information on this Scheme is grouped into the following categories:
Who we are and what we do
- Company background
- List of practices including contact phone numbers
- Details of the opticians and optometrists employed in our practices (stores) can be obtained by contacting that practice directly.
- Alternatively, details of all opticians and optometrists registered in the UK are available from the General Optical Council.
- Company Registration number 08662369
Financial and funding information: what we spend and how we spend it
For every sight test performed on behalf of the NHS the company receives a set fee, which is fixed nationally. This coompany also carries out the following enhanced services on behalf of the NHS: Diabetic Eye Screening, Intra Ocular Pressure refinement. The fees paid by the NHS for each service are available from the practice on request. They include a contribution towards optometrists’ and staff salaries, equipment costs and other practice overheads. Information in this class will be published only where it is unlikely adversely to affect the commercial position of the company.
Full details of the company accounts can be found here Gov.uk – Get information about a company
Our Priorities
To provide our patients with high quality eye care
Decision Making
Any decisions made about the provision of NHS-funded services will be reflected in the services we provide and in the contract(s) held with the CCG or other providers
Our policies and procedures
Copies of our Complaints, Data Protection and health and Safety policy are available on request.
Lists and Registers
We don’t keep lists and registers. Our patient records are confidential.
The Services We Offer
We provide NHS-funded sight tests for those who are eligible please read our blog. Patients may also be entitled to NHS vouchers that can be used against the purchase of spectacles or contact lenses as required. You can find out more information about whether you are entitled to an optical voucher here NHS.uk -Free NHS eye tests and optical vouchers
Appointments for sight tests can be booked over the phone, or by dropping into the practice.
Regular publications and information for the public
You can read more about what information we hold and how we use it here How we look after and safeguard information about you.
Useful Resources
Websites:
Information Commissioner
www.ico.gov.uk
NHS Digital
https://digital.nhs.uk/
Freedom of Information Act 2000
I.C.O. – What is the Freedom of Information Act?