John Taylor, chief executive of the DPB, will address the profession on 'Centralising GOS claims' at the Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians' first annual lunch on November 25. Mr Taylor, who is a specialist in strategic and operations management, has been with the DPB for 10 years, a period which is said to have seen dentists paid accurately for their NHS services. The optical claims project, initiated by a committee within FODO early last year, is primarily designed as a method to end prescription fraud (News analysis, May 29, 1998). It will also quantify cost savings and efficiency improvements, and was first forecast to be in place this year. However, although a presentation was made to the Department of Health earlier this year, optician now understands any launch will not take place until 2000. FODO will host its extraordinary general meeting on the same day as Mr Taylor's address at Birmingham's Crowne Plaza Hotel. At the meeting, Sir Anthony Garrett, general secretary of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians, will tell delegates of ABDO's plans to enhance the role of the dispensing optician.