Boots improves and expands CET events

Boots Opticians has continued to improve its performance in the run-up to its own dedicated CET events next month.

The company, which held an inaugural CET day last November, has decided to expand the programme this year with two days, one in London on November 6, and another in Leeds on November 20.

'Demand last year for the London event was greater than we had anticipated,' said Boots Opticians CET organiser Jim Farrell, 'so we aim to allow easier access to practitioners based in the north.'

The events will be a mix of lectures and workshops and will include lectures from Professors David Thomson and David Elliott, and ophthalmologists Chris Bentley and Ian Simmons.

As previously, the events will be free to Boots staff but open to non-Boots practitioners for a nominal fee to cover administration charges, with the London event being held at the Royal Society of Medicine, and the Leeds presentation at the Hilton Hotel.

In addition, optician understands the multiple continues to improve following its poor financial showing (News, October 7) when we reported Boots' optometry chain had lost £5m in 2005-06 and sales were down 12 per cent.

However, earlier this month sales improved 3.1 per cent on 2004, with eye examination demand up 7.7 per cent.

Readers who wish to attend the events should email louise.01.smith@boots.co.uk