Features

This article is best viewed in a PDF Format.

How long has the practice been established? In its current form since a merger in 2001 the two founding businesses date back to 1947 and 1981.

Number of staff and their main roles? Three optometrist partners: Philip Webb, Ian Lucas, Shelley Stubbs. One dispensing optician, Sarah Thomas, one trainee DO and technician, Heather Lunn. There are also six optical assistants: Catherine, who has the Anglia Optometric Clinical Assistants Diploma, Jane and Sarah who have the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers Level 2 Optical Practice Support Staff qualification, Lesley T and Lesley C with NVQ Level 2 Customer Care qualification, and Aaron who came to us for work experience and now provides Saturday cover (he is hoping to become an optometrist).

What typifies the sort of patients you see? A wide range of ages from infant to nonagenerian, all looking for the personal service and attention to detail that we offer. We have patients who have been attending the practice for almost 60 years, and attract up to 21 new patients each week.

What percentage of your patients wear contact lenses? Between 5-10 per cent. We are one of the few practices in Staffordshire offering ortho K.

Describe your favourite type of patient and explain why. Loyal, regular patients who recommend us to others patients who acknowledge that we are here to help and provide an excellent standard of care (also, those who bring in biscuits, cakes and chocolates!)

What is the estimated size of your patient base? We have a database of 16,280, with 8,270 seen in the last five years.

What would you say was the most successful area of your business? Providing a service that we can all be proud of and that our patients recommend to their friends and family.

How many days a week are you open? Six days, Monday to Friday 8.30am-5.30pm, Saturday 8.30am-4pm.

Describe one area of your practice service that you would like to highlight.
Webb & Lucas participates in the Primary Care Diabetic Retinopathy screening scheme and is one of only a few practices in Staffordshire to which patients are referred for ophthalmic photographic diabetic review.

What instrumentation or equipment are you proud of? All of it. Our Humphrey VFA, the Keratron Scout and our TRKIP combined autorefractor, keratometer, pachymeter and NCT. We also have a Topcon NW6S fundus camera and two slit-lamp cameras. The practice is DVLA registered for visual fields analysis.

How often do you change your window display? We aim to change our displays every 4-6 weeks, to tie in with local, national, or international topical or seasonal events, for example the Olympics, which will be a great way to promote sports eyewear.

What is the average eye examination time? Thirty minutes with the optometrist, plus pre-screening/fields by assisting staff.

How many other practices are there within a one-mile radius of you? Eight - one other independent, one supermarket practice, five multiples and one market stall.

Best dispense in the last year?
A 'best' dispense is not necessarily a high value dispense but one that really benefits a patient with very specific problems. For example, a patient who has been from practice to practice, unable to wear any of the spectacles supplied. We have now supplied two hand-made frames as copies of the very ancient pair that were the only ones she could wear, with lenses surfaced by our local lab, Portland of Cannock, to exactly match every aspect of her original pair.

Name three things in your waiting area. Two Optician Award trophies, soothing music and happy patients.

Mention one surprising fact about your practice. We are located in a Grade II listed building with three floors. The window overlooking the main street was at one time used by some 'ladies' of Stafford to attract their customers and the upper floors are said to be haunted.

One top tip that has benefited your practice. Try to not only maintain but improve standards and treat people the way you would want to be treated, with respect, care and humour.

Why should your practice feature in the 'Practice of the Week'? We are an award-winning practice, with a dedicated team providing excellent service, a reputation for the highest quality products and eye examination and are proud to be independent. ●

Providing exclusive eye care news, information and educational needs every week, including a FREE CET programme. Subscribe to Optician Print Edition.