Dispensing Optics - ABDO

3 dispensingoptics
ABDO meets with the GOC
On Thursday 11 June the President
and I had the opportunity to address
all members of the GOC and to
answer questions.
It was in many ways an historic
occasion. We were allocated an hourand-a-quarter
to make our points and
argue our case. I regard this as a great
step forward for both the GOC and
the profession and I hope we will be
given this opportunity at regular
intervals.
We covered a wide range of subjects
but we were particularly focused on
the following.
We very strongly argued the case for
CLOs and the punitive expectations
that the GOC have regarding CET
points. We certainly had some
sympathy from GOC members on this
issue but it is clear that some in the
GOC are still caught up in the detail of
the system of specialist lists rather than
ABDO actively works in
conjunction with:
The Worshipful Company
of Spectacle Makers
Cover point
the need to have a fair and equitable
programme which is both fair and
consistent as regards public
protection.
We put considerable emphasis on the
fact that the GOC was not policing
the issue of dispensing to children and
that this was regularly being
undertaken by unqualified staff.
Similarly we made the point that many
low vision patients were not getting
the level of professional service that
they need and deserve.
Barry Duncan, the President, very
strongly emphasised that our members
needed to be reassured that the GOC
intended to enforce existing
regulations, otherwise the Council
could not blame registrants from
questioning the value of registration in
the first place.
Our presentation ended with the
President talking about the future of
the profession. In particular he raised
the issue of gaining refraction rights for
opticians, as one way of moving the
profession forward. Needless to say this
provoked some detailed but not
overly hostile questioning.
The President intends to concentrate
on issues intended to develop the
profession when we meet at this year’s
conference in Brighton and following
on from this ground breaking meeting
with the GOC we should be able to
have a healthy and lively debate.
Tony Garrett ■
C O N T E N T S
July 2009
3 Cover point
by Tony Garrett
4 Continuing Education
and Training
A drop of the wet stuff - part two
by Angela McNamee
10 ABDO Conference and
Exhibition 3-5 October
Once, more unto the beach; Essilor
Challenge Trophy; 50 years of Varilux
and still progressing; Well organised
and value for money
by Ann Johnson
16 Children’s frames
In the kids zone
by Nicky Collinson
18 Health and safety part four
An inspector calls
by Mike Hall
20 President’s Consultative
Meeting with the Areas
Goals, aspirations and opportunities
26 National Schools
Partnership
A prime opportunity
by Elaine Grisdale
28 Optician Index
March 2009 summary
29 Newsbrief: BCLA news
31 Points from the President
34 Letter to the Editor
36 Disjointed jottings from a
DO’S desk . . .
What’s in a name?
by Jim Gordon
37 Book review
Ocular Anatomy and Histology
38 CET answers
Multifocal contact lenses - from
opportunity to success
39 Diary of Events