Peer review trial: Optometrist Paul Bradford (pictured far right) has led a number of peer review sessions with his fellow practitioners at Specsavers Barnstaple. The sessions, attended by around six optometrists and contact lens opticians, have been held every Monday for the past four months. Bradford said: 'We have decades of experience within our clinical team and fresh ideas that can also be gleaned from our pre-reg optometrists. It would be crazy not to tap into this in-house resource.' The GOC has proposed to members that a new CET scheme for 2013 could include a peer review component (News 03.02.12). Bradford said the sessions at Barnstaple lasted around 20 minutes and covered the diagnosis of patients in different cases.
'It is an idea I have pushed forward since arriving here,' he added. 'Everyone agrees peer review is worthwhile, but sitting down and actually doing it can be awkward to begin with. It is all about getting people comfortable with talking about these things.'