D&A to trial contact lens home delivery service

The trial scheme, which will be available only to patients attending D&A's 34 Scottish practices, follows a similar trial by Specsavers which is taking place in six of its branches (optician, News, August 29 1997). Under the D&A scheme, home delivery will be free of charge and is available on monthly disposable lenses. Wearers must have a full contact lens assessment before being supplied with lenses and need to attend for annual check-ups to ensure continuing supply. D&A managing director Russell Hardy said that the General Optical Council, which is due to test the law on direct supply of contact lenses next week in its case against Vision Direct's mail-order business, had already approved its new operation in principle. 'I do not agree with mail order of contact lenses,' said Mr Hardy. 'The key distinction between mail order and what we're offering is that once the customer has had a contact lens check with D&A, we have in place a barcoding system which carries the patient's left and right eye information. The product is then double-checked before despatch. 'If the patient does not come in to us for a contact lens check every year, their order for contact lenses will not be despatched. 'The barcodes are very similar to those used by Opto Total Eyecare since October 1996 in a contact lens home delivery scheme. The GOC raised no objection to that system. The service enhances the overall professionalism of D&A and demonstrates our commitment to offering medical and clinical excellence as well as convenience to our customers. 'Our system supports the GOC position that mail order is an unacceptable way of supplying products to customers.' Mr Hardy added that the home delivery scheme trial would continue 'until D&A is satisfied it works', which might take several months.