Concern over patients' rights

Patients have been given the right to choose their practitioner under variations to the General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) contract.

The variations encompass changes in legislation since the publication of the 2008 GOS contract and are largely of minor technical detail. However, Optician understands that there has been some concern in the profession over the issue of patients' right to specify a preference over the practitioner they see.

Clause 25A in the provision of services section states that 'the contractor must, where it has agreed to provide services to a patient, notify the patient (or, in the case of a child or incapable adult, the person who made the application on their behalf) of the patient's right to express a preference to receive services from a particular performer where more than one performer is available.