There is still quite a good feel about results over May. New contact lens fits are increasing overall, as is turnover, and sales value per eye examination is high, indicating patients are spending more once they are encouraged into the practice.
However, dispensing is still down on average, and eye examinations still show a decline over the year.
Total sight tests are down 6 per cent from last month, down 4.5 per cent on average for the year, although looking in isolation at the last 12 months, figures do show a small increase, primarily due to increases in NHS tests over recent months.
All dispensing is down this month, on average over the year by 2 per cent, the same as last month. Different to last month, however, is a slight increase in bi- and trifocal lenses. This brings their share up to almost 13 per cent. Proportionally there has been little change over the year, although bifocal share has been slowly diminishing in favour of progressive lenses. In May 2002, they both had equal share of around 15 per cent.
The dispensing rate for May is up again to 68 per cent, better than last month at 65 per cent, and last May at 66 per cent. Dispensing rate is calculated from total number of eye examinations and total dispensing, and hence does not take into account multiple dispensing.
The volume of reflection-free coatings is down 2 per cent from April and up by 9 per cent compared to this time last year, a fact which supports the increased transaction value per eye examination. The percentage of spectacles dispensed that have an AR coating is almost 51 per cent, higher than the average for the year (47 per cent), but consistent over the last three months and similar to the cluster of high points reported in the summer of 2003.
New contact lens fits are down again this month but do show an improvement of 9 per cent from May 2005. The average for the year continues to show positive and increasing growth of 2.1 per cent compared to the previous 12-month period.
Solution sales continue to decline, down 3 per cent over the year.
While figures for total practice turnover fall from April's high, they still exceed last May's results, by 4 per cent, and show an overall increase on average of 1 per cent.
Spend per eye examination is high at £138.23 compared to £132.18 last month. Last year the figure was £131.93. The average for the last 12 months is £133.48.
When comparing your practice with the results it is important to note that all our figures are equated to a 25-day month, so year-on-year, month-on-month we can compare equal time periods. May had 25 working days (excluding Sundays and Bank Holidays. New contributors are always welcome.
Benefits of participation include customised graphs and comparisons, and contributors are able to make ad hoc enquiries, receiving feedback and results entirely free of charge.
If a practice would like to contribute to the Index please contact Louise Jarvis on 01622 851726, to discuss the benefits, no obligation, or by email to l.jarvis@businessbenchmarks.co.uk.