Dear Practitioner,
General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary full implementation comes into effect as of Monday 19 January 2026. Only Independent Prescriber (IP) optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners who have been approved by a Health Board to provide General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary service at an agreed location will be able to submit claims undertaken on or after Monday 19 January 2026.
IPs who have been providing General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary service during the interim measure but have not been approved by their Health Board for the full implementation will no longer be able to submit General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary claims using the 5.0 and 5.1 codes; this will include IPs who have not submitted an application as well as IPs who have submitted an application but are still awaiting approval. In this instance, claims should be submitted using supplementary reason codes 3.5 or 4.5 as appropriate. Claims can still be submitted using reason codes 5.0 and 5.1 for appointments completed under the interim measure (i.e. appointments dated prior to 19 January) up to 3 months from the appointment date.
For more information about the application process to become a General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary approved IP Optometrist, please see this schedule communication.
The following changes relate to General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary claims with a start date on or after 19 January 2026.
Full implementation covers the following ten conditions:
- Anterior Uveitis
- Blepharitis
- Episcleritis
- Herpes Simplex Keratitis
- Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus
- Infective Conjunctivitis
- Marginal Keratitis
- Ocular Allergy
- Ocular Rosacea
- Corneal Foreign Body (not previously included in the interim measure)
Additionally, there is now an ‘Other’ category. If a patient has been misreferred into the service and they do not meet one of the designated conditions, you will be able to select ‘Other’.
Updates to General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary referral reasons (including intra-referrals)
For code 5.0, you can select one of the five following reasons for examination:
- Self-referred
- Referred by another optometrist
- Recall
- Referred by a GP
- Referred by another care professional
For code 5.1, you can only select one of the following three options (even though other options may be presented):
- Recall
- Self-referred
- Referred by another optometrist
For both codes 5.0 and 5.1, you can select one of the following referral reasons:
- Not referred
- Hospital
- GP
- Referred to another optometrist
The option ‘Referred by another optometrist’ under the reasons for examination and ‘Referred to another optometrist’ under the referral reasons now allow intra-referrals between optometrists. This means optometrists will be able to refer patients to General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary approved IP optometrists.
It is essential that referrals are made following the correct protocol set out in PCA(O)2025(08). Please consult this PCA and the eyes.nhs.scot website for full details on how to make a referral for General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary services, and to access referral forms.
3 months to submit claims after withdrawal
IPs can submit claims up to 3 months from the date of their withdrawal from the service provided the date of assessment falls within the period they were approved.
General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary Part 2 validation added
There must be a Part 1 IP who has been approved by the relevant Health Board to provide the General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary service from the practice premises for a Part 2 IP to be able to provide General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary at that location.
General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary approved location validation
General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary eye examinations should only be conducted at practices where a Part 1 IP has been approved by the relevant Health Board to provide the General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary service from the practice premises. You will not be able to submit a claim from a location where such arrangements have not been made. The location will be validated when you submit a General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary claim.
Domiciliary visits and remote consultation for General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary
Domiciliary visits can be claimed with code 5.1 as appropriate.
A General Ophthalmic Services Specialist Supplementary eye examination can be undertaken using remote facilities as appropriate. Please note that a remote consultation should not be claimed if you have only asked a series of questions to the patient to determine whether an eye examination is needed. In order to claim a remote consultation, all the elements of an eye examination must be carried out apart from tests and procedures where the patient’s physical presence is required.
Kind regards,
Dental & Ophthalmic Customer services
Practitioner Services Division, NHS National Services Scotland
NSS.psdophthalmic@nhs.scot – 0345 034 2458
Ophthalmic services | National Services Scotland (nhs.scot)
Scotland’s national website for eye care services and eye health information