York has been a politically significant city since the Romans named it the capital of ‘Lower Britain’, largely due to its geographical location at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss. Within the ancient walls of the modern populous are a number of practitioners that have chosen to establish business in this compact urban community with a sophisticated cultural scene, retail centres and a large Russell Group university.
Trevor Rowley, also managing director of practice management software provider, Optix, runs Viewpoint Opticians near the city’s famous cathedral. The independent decided to resign from NHS treatments seven years ago.
‘It became apparent that we could not deliver the standards of service and care that we aspired to within the constraints of the NHS fee,’ says Rowley. ‘We did not feel comfortable offering a two tier structure. York has a comprehensive range of services available with all the usual multiples and some exceptionally good independents. We are successful as we appeal to those who want the best and are prepared to pay for this.’
The practice charges £99 for an eye examination but the majority of the patient base has joined a monthly payment plan, costing £5.95 for unlimited care. Rowley says: ‘All examinations include OCT, Optos, Corneal Analysis and last 45 minutes. We have the very best equipment and facilities that money can buy and then work backwards to decide the fees we need to charge. This is the exact opposite of the process when your examination fee is set by a third party.’
This monthly payment plan is appealing to those who need regular check-ups says Rowley, adding, ‘We attract a disproportionately high number of elderly patients who would qualify for a free NHS examination if they wished.’
However, Viewpoint is not the only practice in the locale working to improve the quality of services. Nearby is the neighbourhood Specsavers which employs about 40 staff and has been run by joint venture partner and optometrist Deryck Watts for 28 years. He is also the director of local optical company Primary Eyecare.
‘We look after the enhanced optical services for north and east Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, including contracts for Mecs, Corrs cataracts and glaucoma,’ says Watts. ‘Our company enables all optical practices in the area to have the opportunity to be involved in enhanced services.’
York Specsavers has been run by optometrist Deryck Watts for 28 years
NHS patients represent the core of Specsavers business and Watt estimates that 66% of footfall have GOS fee sight tests. Meanwhile, a private eye exam costs £22. ‘York is a flourishing city with lower than average unemployment,’ says Watts. ‘Our patients don’t like to be rushed. Enhanced services are funded by the NHS. They want value and they want good quality.’
Although practices in many UK communities are finding it difficult to source professional staff, the local Boots Opticians assistant manager, Stacey Tanner, says York is not experiencing the shortage.
‘We find York to be a great, vibrant city to work in,’ says Tanner. ‘There is always a lot of interest from potential candidates with a great skill set whenever we advertise a vacancy locally.’
Who’s in town
Total: 12
Independents: 8
Multiples: 4
Average costs
Prices for an eye examination range from £15 to £99 (the median price is £25). The average cost is £30.77.
Population
District population: 202,433 (2011 Census)
Community eye care
According to the Locsu Atlas Map of Optical Variation, North Yorkshire Local Optical Committee has secured contracts for cataract post-op, cataract referral, ophthalmology referral triage, minor eye conditions service, and glaucoma repeat readings covering Vale of York CCG.
Health and affluence
- Average house price in York is £208,143, compared with an average of £189,901 for England and Wales (Land Registry, 2016)
- NHS expenditure on vision problems per person is £91, compared with the UK average of £89 (RNIB Sight Loss Data Tool 2015)
- 8,400 patients live in York with Drusen-related early stage AMD, 1,350 with wet AMD, 660 with dry AMD (RNIB).
- There are 2,070 patients living in the city with cataract, 1,830 with glaucoma and 12,560 suffer from with diabetes, 4,150 patients have diabetic retinopathy (RNIB)
Fun facts
- York is ‘the most haunted city in Europe’, says the International Ghost Research Foundation.
- York railway station doubled as Kings Cross in the first Harry Potter film (pictured above).
- The city is intersected by networks of snickets and ginnels built as shortcuts for its inhabitants.
- York Minster is the largest Gothic cathedral in northern Europe.
- York has the largest railway museum in the world and has trips on the Flying Scotsman.
- The Shambles may be the oldest shopping street in Europe.
