The College of Optometrists has reported on an active year in its annual report with a doubling in the number of regional events, new guidelines on professional practice and its largest ever conference.
Reviewing the year president, David Parkins, wrote in the annual report for 2013-14 that the College had a unique role to play in allowing its 14,000 members to deliver the highest level of eye care to patients.
In addition to more education and new guidelines the year had seen new qualifications developed, more leaflets delivered and the College playing an active role in the NHS’s Call to Action.
College accounts for the year to September 2014 show the College’s income growing from £6.3m to £6.5m boosted by income from continuing education and education pre-registration. During the year it spent over £1m more than £7.65m compared to £6.63m in the year before.
Much of the increase was accounted for by education and pre-registration which was up from £2.88m to £3.1m and professional conduct and standards which rose from £411,633 to £571,292.
Spending on events and member services rose by £160,000 to £464,313, The College conference attracted its largest ever audience of 700 delegates. Research grants and scholarships rose by nearly £200,000 to £790,341 and publications and mailings from £242,083 to £314,592. Staff costs rose from £2.06m to £2.3m.
Other highlights during the year included the funding of eight places on the Leeds ophthalmic public health module and new guidance published in association with the Royal College of Ophthalmologists.
The College has been receiving some mainstream media coverage this week after publishing report on the bizarre reasons that prompt the public to have an eye exam. These include a gentleman who ate his hearing aids thinking they were cashew nuts, a pilot who taxied the wrong way down a runway and the driver who mistook bollards in the road for children.