A fitness to practise committee has erased Falkirk-based dispensing optician David McIntosh from the GOC register after his fitness to practise was found to be impaired by reason of misconduct.
This was in relation to McIntosh obtaining funds from his employer by conducting unauthorised and false refund transactions, which the committee said were inappropriate and dishonest actions.
The committee heard that McIntosh obtained £1,471 from his employer Specsavers on 12 separate occasions, with refunds ranging in value from £1 to £293.
These unauthorised and false refund transactions took place from June 2022 to May 2023 at a practice he worked at for eight years and was a store manager.
Specsavers head office informed the practice in May 2023 of suspicious activity detected relating to product refunds and it transpired that refunds were being made to various bank cards linked to the registrant using his code for the system.
Covert CCTV was installed at the practice and, on one occasion, footage was captured of McIntosh processing a refund using his smart watch.
During an internal investigation, McIntosh admitted to processing the refunds and subsequently paid back the money in fall. He cited financial difficulties when asked why he stole from the business.
