Where work will take you

Practitioners often sample a number of environments before finding their best fit.

As Deepak Oberai, an optometrist with experience of working for multiples and independents, says: ‘There are advantages and disadvantages to working for both, so it makes sense to get experience of each area.’

Indeed, ask the majority of practitioners what they most like about working for an independent and they are likely to say it is the close relationships they forge with their patients.

Independents often offer longer appointments than multiples – partly due to having a smaller patient base – enabling them to perform a thorough test.