What this guidance covers

This guidance sets out the arrangements for claiming the clinical placement training payment for optometry trainees undertaking clinical placements in general ophthalmic services (GOS) practices.

It explains who is eligible and how to claim as optometry training moves from the Scheme for Registration (SfR) to Clinical Learning in Practice (CLiP) or another locally determined clinical placement, following the General Optical Council (GOC) approved education reforms in 2021.

This guidance supersedes all previous guidance.

Background

The traditional model of a 3-year undergraduate degree plus 1-year pre-registration placement (Scheme for Registration) is being replaced by a 4-year integrated master’s programme.

This new structure incorporates clinical placements within the undergraduate course. These placements may be:

• facilitated by the College of Optometrists through CLiP
• developed by institutions, provided they comply with the General Optical Council (GOC) requirements for optometry educational training

There will be a period of dual running, during which both SfR and CLiP placements will be eligible for funding. This will ensure continuity of placements and minimise disruption to optometry trainees, supervisors and practices. The pre-reg training grant claim form will cover all applicable schemes.

CLiP undergraduate training requires a total of 48 weeks of placement work. Of these, 4 weeks are designated as non-clinical observational placements, which may take place during the first 3 years of undergraduate study. These 4 observational weeks are not covered by the clinical placement training payment.

Eligibility criteria

A contractor is eligible to claim a clinical placement training payment if:

• they hold a GOS contract
• they are hosting an eligible optometry trainee within their practice

An optometry trainee is eligible if:

• they have successfully completed a General Optical Council (GOC) approved Bachelor of Science (BSc) in optometry and are undertaking the mandatory 1‑year pre‑registration clinical placement overseen by the College of Optometrists
• they are completing the clinical placement component of a GOC‑approved integrated optometry Master of Science or Master of Optometry (MOptom) degree; this placement requires attendance for 4 working days per week, supplemented by 1 dedicated university learning day and is defined in this guidance as CLiP
• they are engaged in a clinical placement that fully meets the GOC requirements for optometry education and training and is recognised by NHS England for payment purposes

An optometry trainee is not eligible if they are:

• enrolled on an apprenticeship scheme; in such instances, contractors should seek funding through the appropriate apprenticeship infrastructure
• a self-funding overseas or international optometry trainee; in such cases, all associated supervision costs must be met by the trainee through direct financial arrangements agreed with the supervising practice
• undertaking a non-clinical placement, such as an observational placement

Optometry trainees who have studied within a devolved nation will continue to be supported both through SfR and CLiP where their clinical placement is in England. However, this arrangement is subject to annual review. Any amendments will be formally communicated to the profession and incorporated into future updates to this guidance.

Contractors will ensure supervision is provided by an appropriate named optometrist(s).

Eligible contractors will be able to claim payment for each eligible optometry trainee irrespective of how supervisory responsibilities are shared across the practice team. For example, should contractors wish to engage other ophthalmic professionals, such as ophthalmologist or ophthalmic medical practitioner (within their respective scopes of practice), this will be at a contractor’s discretion and falls outside the scope of the clinical placement training payment. 

Payment value

From 1 April 2025, the clinical placement training payment is £4,010 per trainee, for the full supervision period.

We will inform you should there be any future changes to this amount.

Claim process and payment schedule

Clinical placement training payments will continue to be processed by Primary Care Support England (PCSE) on behalf of commissioners.

Further information on claims and submission can be found on PCSE’s website.

Supervisors will continue to complete the current training Pre-reg training grant claim form until further notice.

Additional information will be required to identify if the optometry trainee is on the SfR, CLiP or any other clinical framework provided it complies with the General Optical Council (GOC) requirements for optometry educational training.

To submit a clinical placement training payment claim:

• go to the PCSE contact us page and choose ‘Ophthalmic Payments’
• log in to PCSE Online
• select the ‘New Ophthalmic Payments’ form
• choose ‘Contractor/Optical practice’
• click on ‘Pre-reg training grant’
• complete the necessary details and attach the application form in the upload section
• submit
• you will receive acknowledgement of your submission, and a case reference number should you need to follow up

Contractors must claim in 2 instalments, after the relevant stage of the placement has been completed:

• For CLiP: after 22 weeks (first instalment) and 44 weeks (second instalment)
• For SfR: after 24 weeks (first instalment) and 48 weeks (second instalment)

Any training schemes operating outside of the College of Optometrists, which comply with the General Optical Council (GOC) requirements for optometry educational training and are delivered within high street settings, should also submit claims in 2 stages:

• at the halfway point of the placement
• upon its completion

All claims must be submitted no later than 3 months after the end of the relevant claim period.

PCSE will verify claims against information held by the College of Optometry.

Should any university choose to operate training outside of the College of Optometry then they will be required to supply PCSE with full details of all optometry trainees receiving clinical supervision within a high street practice, before any payments are made.

Once the claim has been validated, PCSE will arrange payment to contractors within their next GOS payment schedule.

Changes to supervision and interruptions

Where an optometry trainee decides to stop their training before the end of the clinical placement, a pro-rata claim may be submitted. In these instances, contractors will be required to enter the number of weeks that supervision has been provided. PCSE will then calculate the pro-rata payment.

From 1 April 2026:

• any period during which an optometry trainee is not receiving active clinical supervision will be treated as a break in supervision and will suspend entitlement to the clinical placement
• payments stop from the first day of the interruption
• no payment is claimable for days when supervision does not take place
• contractors must notify PCSE (and any relevant commissioning team) within 7 calendar days of any break in supervision starting
• once supervision resumes, payments restart on a strictly pro-rata basis, reflecting only those days of active supervision

In the event of a change in supervisors during a clinical placement, entitlement to the clinical placement training payment transfers on the handover date. Contractors must ensure that the outgoing supervisor’s claim ceases on that day, with the incoming supervisor’s claim starting the following day. Overlapping claims will not be permitted.

Recording sight test activity

From 1 April 2026, the GOS 1, GOS 5 and GOS 6 forms will be amended. Contract holders will be required to complete the relevant field to indicate when a sight test claim involves input from a student receiving training at the practice. This will support monitoring of sight tests involving trainees.

Transitional arrangements

Contractors with outstanding claims from placements in previous years, or ongoing placements where more than 6 months has been completed, must submitted to PCSE by 31 March 2026. Claims received after this date will not be paid.

Any outstanding claims will be paid at the rate applicable at the time the training supervision was provided.

Publication reference: PRN02302