Profession relieved as GOS promise is kept

Optics has welcomed the preservation of key benefits such as free eye exams for older people in the government's comprehensive spending review but expressed concerns over cuts.

The National Health Service fared well in the CSR, delivered by the Chancellor George Osborne, in comparison to other areas, with its budget increasing above the rate of inflation over the next four years.

The College of Optometrists told Optician it was relieved to see the government honour its promise to protect free eye tests but it was concerned about the broader impact of CSR cuts on optics. Its chief executive, Bryony Pawinska, cited the impact of university tuition fees and the effect anticipated widescale job losses may have on the economy.