Battle for DVLA contract

A consortium of optical businesses has announced its intention to bid for the contract to offer DVLA visual fields and visual acuity testing in a deal worth up to £19.1m.

The group, which is made up of the Association for Independent Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians (AIO), Vision Express, Smart Employee Eyecare (part of the Duncan and Todd Group, Hakim Group and Leightons Opticians and Hearing, has responded to the tender for the DVLA’s eye testing contract issued last month.

It said the bid aimed to ‘improve choice and geographical spread’ on the current contract, which was awarded to Specsavers in 2014.

‘Previously, patients have had to go outside of their practice for the DVLA eye test. In some cases, resulting in them having to travel long distances to their nearest DVLA-approved store for the test,’ said a statement released by the group.