A campaigner against illegal contact lens retailing has welcomed moves by the General Optical Council to begin tackling the issue.
Andrew Harman, MD of The Eye Studio Opticians in London, has been engaging with the GOC for a number of years and called on practitioners to take part in a new consultation that will run until May (News 21.02.14).
A new strategy would counter practices such as misuse of a protected title and illegal online contact lens sales, the GOC has proposed – in part by promoting public awareness of the need to follow contact lens aftercare advice with regular check-ups.
Harman told Optician: ‘I welcome the consultation. My opinion has always been that good retailing has always given us the means to pay for good clinicians and good clinical care in all its forms allows us to be good retailers. Both are inextricably linked and inseparable.
‘The growing illegal element of supply has been slowly undermining this position, if you take one away then the other has to suffer. An opportunity for all stakeholders to be engaged in this consultation is a very valuable opportunity and I really hope that we can avoid partisan politics and use the industry’s considerable intellect and focus on the creative and proactive elements suggested by the GOC.
‘The only thing I am unsure about is that if the GOC is focused on patient safety, who will be taking the lead for practice owners?’
Harman also sent a message to all optical trade and professional organisations highlighting the growth of online contact retailers, with many based outside the UK and not currently required to comply with the Opticians Act.