College takes director to task in Foster review

In its response to the far-reaching Foster review, the College of Optometrists defended the status quo in the profession's regulatory framework - and used Optician research to help its argument.

Last week the General Optical Council responded to this summer's call for a review of the number of non-medical professional regulators (News, August 26). This week it was the College's turn, supporting the retention of the GOC and going on the offensive against the pro-reform lobby.

The College called the scene-setting address for the review by Professor Kieran Walshe, the director of the Centre for Public Policy and Management at Manchester Business School, 'unhelpful' and asked for evidence to back up his view.

In his presentation Professor Walshe claimed that professional regulation was 'tied up with professional identity, and the development of the profession's own interests'. He said: 'Reform has often been highly contested, and difficult for reformers to press against professional opposition.'

The College stated that the GOC was a good exemplar of how professional regulation in healthcare could be successfully operated at arm's length from the profession without alienating that profession.

The College took issue with Professor Walshe's controversial opening remarks that the 'public perceptions of professionals are if anything worse, and awareness of error/harm/competence problems is much greater', and that the likes of the Harold Shipman case have highlighted continuing difficulties.

In its response the College used Reed Business Research - commissioned by the College and optician - from March this year to make its point. Nearly 1,000 patients were quizzed by the NOP, and from those who needed vision correction, 93 per cent said that they were satisfied with the service they received overall. Detailed satisfaction rates, related to professional competence and advice, received similar and sometimes higher scores.

In her letter to Andrew Foster, the DoH director of workforce who is overseeing the review, College chief executive Bryony Pawinska argued: 'The present regulatory systemserves patients and registrants well.'