NHS Hastings & Rother has written to 2,000 patients telling them they may have been seen by an unqualified optometrist following the closure of New Global Vision in Hastings after a Sussex Police raid last month.
After a police search of the premises on November 3, two men and a woman were arrested on suspicion of fraud against the NHS and customers. They were released on bail without charge, until January 2010, pending further enquiries.
A joint statement from the NHS and Sussex Police said the enquiry related to concern about qualifications of people who have been working at the business, and as to whether they have had the correct training to accurately conduct eye tests and dispense glasses and contact lenses.
They added that the premises were now closed and patients who have had sight tests, glasses or contact lenses supplied by New Global Vision since January this year were being contacted by the NHS as part of the enquiry. To date 400 people have responded to the letters.
Hastings and Rye MP Michael Foster said on politics.co.uk that there were a number of cases where customers were awaiting delivery of spectacles and in some cases had paid either towards their NHS prescription or on a private basis.
Wilson, Wilson & Hancock in Hastings has agreed to fit in patients for another test as soon as possible. Where NHS patients have not had their prescription delivered by New Global Vision, the practice will offer a free range of spectacles under the NHS scheme or a discount against other ranges.
Optometrist Martin Briscall of Wilson, Wilson & Hancock told Optician that the practice was seeing two to three New Global Vision patients a day who were concerned about their eye tests and the efficacy of their spectacles.