Costco bids to resume GOS

Costco intends to provide GOS again after it seeks amendment to the planning consents for members-only retail outlets that prevent it opening its optical practices to the public.

Its intentions were revealed at a Family Health Services Appeals Authority (FHSAA) hearing, the verdict of which has just been released, to decide whether its practices should be disqualified nationally from the ophthalmic lists of PCTs.

A decision was postponed to allow for the provision of evidence on the retailer's removal from the ophthalmic lists of the PCTs on which it had previously appeared.

Costco, represented by Charles Flint, claimed it wished to 'avoid the stigma' of the imposition of national disqualification.