Optical practices have been urged to form a strong relationship with GPs ahead of NHS reform but should expect similar levels of bureaucracy.
Primary care trusts (PCTs) would be abolished from April 2013 under the government's Health and Social Care Bill 2011, leaving funds for enhanced services such as glaucoma monitoring and red eye clinics to commissioning boards led by GPs.
David MacVeigh, optometric adviser for Devon, told Optician: 'New commissioning plans will be GP-led, meaning optometrists have to build a relationship with their local GPs. If you want to get something done you have to put together a business plan and then convince them that you can provide the service to a higher quality and for less cost than they are currently paying.'
However, the demise of PCTs is unlikely to reduce red tape facing high street optometry, he said.
'The new structure will have the same contracts, for the next few years at least, with pressure from above for them to be followed bureaucracy is going to continue regardless of other changes,' added MacVeigh.
From his experience, the contracts set up in 2008 had been confusing for most optical practices who, while broadly compliant, struggled to get to grips with the legal and contractual requirements.
He added: 'Let's face it, if you're spending 12 hours a day running your practice you don't have time to worry about the bits that aren't core parts of the business, so it generally comes as a bit of a shock when someone comes in and says you are not doing it right.
'But some of these are legal requirements that you ignore at your peril and it falls to the PCT to say "you have to do this". 'Unfortunately, the PCTs have been seen as the cause of the difficulty instead of being seen as trying to help practices to avoid falling foul of the health and safety or environmental health inspectors.'
A recent tribunal victory by Dorset optometrist Jane Fisher over her local PCT to operate mobile care through an Eye Bus (News 10.06.11) was a case in point.
MacVeigh said the decision was to be welcomed as it 'gives clarity to the contract definition of premises'. He added: 'It is a good idea because we can take the service to the patient without them having to come to you. It is a different way of delivering the service and it fills a gap in the market.'