OO fined after voucher theft

An optometrist has been handed a £1,000 financial penalty order after a General Optical Council fitness to practise committee found her guilty of misconduct.

The committee alleged that Priya Patel stole promotional vouchers from Boots in Redhill, Surrey in September 2011 and gave a number to her parents. The theft came to light when the registrant's parents attempted to use the vouchers before their start date. Patel accepted a police caution on December 5 2011 for the theft of 94 vouchers with a value of £410.

The committee heard evidence from Surrey Police and investigators for Boots. It heard that the registrant denied stealing the amount of 94 vouchers referred to in the caution, but admitted to stealing 105, with 19 passed on to her parents. The remaining 86 were unused. The registrant said she accepted the police caution as she just wanted to move on after the incident