AOP
The Association of Optometrists (AOP) said that in 2020, it was the only optical body to decrease its membership fees in order to support members during the pandemic. The fee decrease was 20% across all UK paying membership grades, which it highlighted was the equivalent of two monthly direct debit payments.
However, AOP membership fees for 2021 are being increased by just over £4 a month for all paying grades. Henrietta Alderman, chief executive of the AOP, said: ‘The difficult decision to increase fees was made by the AOP board in response to a hardening in the insurance market. Medical malpractice insurance for most professionals has seen this, and optometry has not been immune to it.
‘The AOP membership package offers much more than just insurance – our other core services and benefits include legal protection, specialist advice and guidance from our in-house teams along with news, features and CET in our journal.’
ABDO
The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) would not be increasing its fees for 2021 in recognition of the difficult year practices and practitioners have faced.
ABDO said it had taken cost saving measures small and large, such as moving transactions to online only and therefore removing the need for print and postage fees. It has also sold its London headquarters, furloughed staff and temporarily suspended production of the print version of of its in house publication.
Sir Anthony Garrett, general secretary at ABDO, said: ‘ABDO has had to make some really tough decisions, suspending activities and work on some new projects. We have furloughed some staff. We have cancelled virtually all staff travel and moved most meetings online.
‘We totally understand how tough it has been for our members and those who employ them so freezing fees is absolutely essential.’
BCLA
The British Contact Lens Association (BCLA) has frozen the vast majority of membership fees for 2021, which it said it had done for the third successive year. Luke Stevens-Burt, CEO at the BCLA, explained: ‘Some minor increases of between £3 and £10 have been implemented for a small number of membership categories, but these are aimed at bringing the subscription rate in line with the value of the offer for these categories.’
He added that the decision had been made in recognition of the continued uncertainty they are likely to face in 2021 as consumer confidence and patient activity returns to normalised levels.
‘The BCLA has delivered an expanded portfolio of resources, member benefits and services during 2020 – providing high value for money to our members. As a result, we have seen amazing loyalty and reassuring numbers of new members. We want to recognise and reward that loyalty by, once again, keeping fees for full members unchanged.’
College of Optometrists
Catherine Bithell, director of communications and member services at the College of Optometrists, said there has not been an increase in its fees for the past 10 years.
She explained that this is ‘despite an expansion of its services and member benefits – to include comprehensive online CPD resources, webinars, a new member journal, Acuity, and an exclusive member app that hosts all the College’s leading clinical resources, including the Guidance for Professional Practice, CMGs and optometrist’s formulary.’
‘For members experiencing financial difficulties this year as a result of the pandemic, we have offered help and amended their membership status, and thereby payment fee, if not working,’ Bithell added.
FODO
The Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians (FODO) has reduced its membership fees by £20 and introduced a part-time subscription offer.
Alan Tinger, director of regulatory affairs at FODO, said: ‘Practice owners will also continue to benefit from membership and insurance being priced on an FTE basis rather than headcount, which means with more people working part-time, most members will see further reductions in their total membership and insurance costs in 2021.’
He added that FODO reduced its fees to help members through a difficult time and to offset increases in medical malpractice insurance premiums.
AIO
Dr Christian French, chair of the Association of Independent Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians (AIO), said practices have faced a difficult year so the association would not be increasing membership fees in 2021.
‘As the only not-for-profit organisation that solely represents the independent practitioner, AIO has endeavoured to represent the independent sector at all key stakeholder meetings during the pandemic. In addition, we continue to be a regular attender at the GOC’s monthly workforce deployment meetings in an effort to ensure that independent practices continue to have a voice as we emerge from the lockdown and beyond,’ French added.
FMO
The Federation of Manufacturing Opticians (FMO) said it provided a full or partial refund of 2020/21 membership subscriptions (March 20 to February 21) to support to its members during the pandemic.
Stuart Burn, FMO chair, said: ‘This was a “thank you” to members for their support and loyalty to the FMO despite the pressure their businesses were under due to Covid-19. The FMO board is currently reviewing the pricing strategy for 2021/22 subscriptions and they hope to update members on this from late January.’
