Practitioner Onboarding

OPERA Practitioner Onboarding

You may have received an email inviting you to complete onboarding for our chosen IT platform, OPERA.  

This help page explains:

• What you need before you begin onboarding
• How to complete the onboarding process
• The requirements for practitioners to access our services

IMPORTANT: You will have received a unique passcode in your email. This is very important so please ensure you can access this. 

Before You Begin

Before you start, please ensure you have:

1. Your onboarding email
2. Your unique passcode
3. One of the following forms of identification saved as an image file (JPG, JPEG or PNG format):

• UK Passport
• UK Driving Licence

Having these documents ready before you begin will make the process quicker and easier.

I don't have either forms of ID.

If you do not have a UK Passport or UK Driving Licence, please contact the support team before proceeding:

Email: hello@referral.support

Completing Onboarding

Step 1: Accessing OPERA

Once you have your email, your passcode and your identification document, please visit  OPERA Web

Click on the ' User Onboarding' link as shown below: 

Step 2: Choose Your User Type

Select the option that applies to you:

• GOC Registrant
• Administrator

Step 3: Completing Your Details

If you are a GOC registrant,

1. Enter your GOC registration details. This will automatically populate the details in the next section where available.
2. Complete the remaining sections of the form:
3. Enter:

•  Your email address
• The passcode provided in your onboarding email

Step 4: Uploading Your ID

Select the type of identification you are providing and upload your document for verification.

You will then be asked to choose your preferred security method for accessing the system. 

Step 5: Confirmation

The final screen is a confirmation request:

Practitioner Accreditation Requirements

All participating optometrists must hold the core competencies required by the General Optical Council (GOC) and meet the accreditation requirements below before delivering commissioned community eye care services.

Disclosure and Barring (DBS) Certificate Requirements

• You must provide evidence of a valid Enhanced DBS Certificate that includes checks of the DBS barred lists for both adults and children.
• The certificate must be dated within the last three years.
• If you are registered with the DBS Update Service, you must give permission for checks to be carried out through the DBS Update Service where applicable.
• If you are not registered with the DBS Update Service, you must obtain a new Enhanced DBS Certificate every three years.

IMPORTANT

• Practitioners registered with the DBS Update Service must upload the enhanced DBS certificate associated with that subscription.
• If this certificate cannot be located, a new enhanced DBS certificate will need to be obtained before onboarding can be completed.

Helpful Links

• Enhanced DBS applications/renewals: Standard and enhanced DBS checks provided by our partner CBS
• DBS Update Service: DBS Update Service - GOV.UK

Level 2 Safeguarding Training

You must hold current Level 2 Safeguarding Training for Adults and Children to access our services.

Requirements:

• Training must have been completed within the last three years.
• Evidence of your certificates must be uploaded to your practitioner profile.
• Training must be renewed before expiry.
• OPERA will issue reminders when evidence is approaching its expiry date.

Helpful Links

Safeguarding training: docet.info

Compliance 

Practice compliance and practitioner accreditation requirements are ongoing.

If, at any time, a practice or practitioner no longer meets the required standards, they must:

1. Inform Primary Eyecare Services immediately.
2. Stop providing the affected service until compliance has been restored.

Further guidance can be found on the Service Withdrawal help page.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) Requirements

The following requirements will be confirmed annually through a clinician declaration:

1. Clinicians must complete:

• CPD that supports the delivery of commissioned eye care services

2. A minimum of:

• 3 CPD points relevant to CUES/MECS 
• 1 CPD point relevant to cataract services (pre-operative and post-operative care) 

    These requirements apply within each 3-year CPD cycle. 

3. Clinicians providing additional services (e.g. glaucoma pathways) must also meet any service-specific CPD requirements outlined within local service specifications.

Policies

• Clinicians must review the updated Primary Eyecare Services policies.

Service Accreditation

Practitioners must upload evidence of relevant service accreditation to OPERA, including:

• WOPEC accreditation certificates (where applicable)
• Accepted equivalent qualifications
• Any higher qualifications relevant to commissioned services

Support

Should you need support, please use the blue help bubble to raise a query, which is located on the bottom right-hand corner of OPERA:

or email hello@referral.support