Practitioner Onboarding

You may have received an email asking you to complete the onboarding process for our chosen IT platform, OPERA.  This page is to explain the process and what is required and why. You will have received a passcode in your email – this is very important.

Importantly, you will need, if you have them, one of the following documents in image formats, such as JPG or PNG:

• A UK driving licence

• A UK passport

It'sa good idea to get these documents together before you access the onboarding form. If you don't have either of these documents, you will need to contact support at hello@referral.support.

Completing the form

Once you have your email, your passcode and your identity document, please visitOPERA Weband click on the "User onboarding" link as shown below:You will then see the following, click the appropriate link for your user type.

If you are a GOC registrant, you will be asked to enter your GOC details, and this will autopopulate the next section for you. Continue to complete the form with your email details and the passcode you have been provided with.

ID Upload

Here you can select the type of ID and upload it to the system for the verification checks and then select your preferred security method. The final screen is a confirmation:

Practitioner Accreditation 

All participating optometrists will have the core competencies as defined by the GOC and must meet the accreditation requirements as below in order to offer community eye care services. 

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Certificate

• this needs to be an enhanced DBS with a check of DBS barred lists for adults and children

• The performer has signed up for the DBS update service.

• DBS Certificate number and permission to check for updates on the DBS update service
• The certificate must be dated within the last three years and renewed every three years, unless you are registered with the DBS Update Service, in which case the IT system will perform the checks automatically.

Level 2 Safeguarding Training for Adults and Children

• must be dated within the last three years

• must be maintained and uploaded to your practitioner profile prior to expiry; the IT system will prompt users when this is close to expiry.

Practice compliance and optometrists' accreditation requirements are continuous and ongoing; should the practice or practitioner no longer satisfy these requirements, then they must inform Primary Eyecare Services and cease providing this service. Guidance on this process is available on the Service Withdrawal help page.

The following evidence will be confirmed annually, with the clinician confirming via declaration:

• CPD – MECS 3 points and 1 point for cataract in every 3-year CPD cycle.

• The clinician has reviewed the updated Primary Eyecare Services Policies (with link to the policies).

Service Accreditation

Upload relevant Wales Optometry Postgraduate Education Centre (WOPEC) accreditation certificates or accepted equivalents, along with any higher qualifications, to the IT platform. 

Support

Should you need support please use the help bubble (that can be found here) to raise a query or email hello@referral.support