The problem
Every NHS sight test and voucher in England means a GOS claim, and keying claims separately into the PCSE portal is slow and easy to get wrong. If a practice makes 160 GOS claims a month and each takes 3 minutes to key in separately, that's 480 minutes, 8 hours a month.
What the AI does
Blink's eGOS add-on generates NHS GOS vouchers during dispensing, lets you complete the form online and submits it directly to PCSE from Blink; Blink describes it as fully integrated into your PCSE portal. Because the form is completed in Blink, staff no longer key each claim into a separate portal. The optometrist stays responsible for the clinical details on every claim.
A worked example
An independent practice in Norwich already on Blink makes about 160 GOS claims a month for sight tests and vouchers. It adds the eGOS add-on at $33£25€30A$48C$47 a month plus VAT.
Before
160 claims keyed separately at 3 minutes each: 8 hours a month
After
About 1 minute each to check and submit from Blink: about 2.7 hours a month
What it's worth
About $100£75€89A$144C$141 a month of staff time saved, at an assumed $19£14€17A$27C$26 an hour, against $33£25€30A$48C$47 plus VAT for eGOS. That's 2 minutes saved on each of 160 claims: 320 minutes, about 5.3 hours.
How to set it up
- Check Blink's features page for the current price: eGOS is $33£25€30A$48C$47 a month plus VAT, on top of the $126£95€113A$182C$179 base.
- Ask Blink which GOS forms the add-on covers and how claim status is shown, since the page doesn't say.
- Set it up with your PCSE details and run a week of claims alongside your current method.
- Have the optometrist check the clinical details on every form before it's submitted.
- Keep checking PCSE payment statements against the claims you've sent.
What goes wrong
- PCSE covers England. Practices in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have different arrangements, so check with Blink.
- A wrong claim submitted faster is still a wrong claim. Claims not supported by the record can be recovered after payment.
- The saving depends on how you submit now. If you already use the PCSE portal quickly, it will be smaller.
- Blink's page doesn't say what happens if a submission fails. Check the claim list rather than assuming it went.