CL supply leads to GOC hearing

Dispensing optician Wendy Newson has escaped a misconduct charge after a fitness to practise committee heard she supplied contact lenses to a patient against her employer’s policy and without any records or provision for aftercare.

The GOC alleged that Newson ordered trial lenses from CIBA Vision without her employer’s knowledge and supplied them to the patient, who was not registered with the practice. The patient was described as a long-term contact lens wearer and a friend of the registrant. It heard that the patient had been staying with the registrant, who claimed that the lenses had been ordered to allow her friend to drive home after her own lenses were damaged. The panel said there were isolated departures from normal standards motivated by a positive intention in the interests of the patient.