Domiciliary Visits

Code of practice for domiciliary eyecare

Please see the pdf document at the bottom of this page for a detailed code of practice to assist practitioners who provide domiciliary eye care

Equipment for providing mobile ophthalmic services

Please see the pdf document at the end of this page, which lists the tasks that a practitioner providing mobile ophthalmic services would normally be expected to perform and examples of equipment that would be suitable. These examples are for illustrative purposes only. They are not mandatory. For instance, optometrists may use alternative equipment to perform the same tasks, and some equipment can be used for more than one task. There will also be cases in which it will not be appropriate or possible to carry out all the tasks listed, because of a patient’s disability. Similarly, some optometrists may provide additional services and equipment.

Pre-Notification of a Domiciliary Visit

Contractors must notify the PCT of their intent to provide mobile services at least 48 hours in advance to two or less patients at the same address; and they must notify the PCT at least three weeks in advance of their intent to provide mobile services to three or more patients at the same address.

The Domiciliary Eyecare Committee has worked with PCTs to produce a single form for pre-notification of visits - most PCTs now use this form as standard. This form is available in pdf format at the end of this page.

Lone working guidance

Lone working is a risk that applies to professionals and other staff working alone in care or patients’ own homes, or, indeed, working alone in fixed premises. Lone working, therefore, is a workplace risk for which both employers and staff share responsibility. In many ways keeping safe when working alone is very similar to remaining safe in any other area of society or social interaction. Common sense should always apply and employers, practitioners and staff should always err on the side of caution. Please see joint guidance on lone working in the pdf document at the end of this page.

Statutory cooling off period for domiciliary services

The UK Domiciliary Eyecare Committee advises that the new statutory cooling off period of seven (7) days applies to all goods and services ordered/contracted for in the home or a place of work for over £35 including the supply of spectacles, contact lenses and other optical devices. For example, when a provider takes an order from a domiciliary patient to supply spectacles to the patient’s prescription, the patient is entitled to a seven day “cooling off period”. This means that he may cancel the order for the new spectacles at any time within 7 days of the order being placed. The provider may start the ordering process before the 7 day cooling off period is over but at their own risk of the patient cancelling unless the patient gives written permission. If the patient has given written permission then he/she is liable for the costs of any work carried out after that permission is given. Please see the pdf documents “Guidance on cooling off period in a home or place of work Aug 2010” and “Cooling off period cancellation notice” at the end of this page for full guidance.

Referrals - following NICE Guidelines on glaucoma

Please see the pdf documents below - advice to patients and a sample referral letter to the GP - when referring according to NICE guidelines. For further information on NICE guidelines please click here

Field testing in a domiciliary environment

The Joint UK Domiciliary Eye Care Committee (DEC) has been made aware that some PCTs, LHBs and Optometric Advisers have been requesting that domiciliary providers demonstrate their access to full threshold visual field screening instruments before an additional services contract will be issued, while others have not. This has resulted in some confusion across the sector and the optical bodies have received many requests (from PCTs, LOCs and contractors) for clarification. Read the full DEC statement in which is available in pdf format below.