Rumney gives tips for success

Independents should venture into more 'challenging waters' of practice and leave their 'safe harbour', Hereford independent Nick Rumney told delegates at the recent FMO regional meeting in Edgbaston.

In his session 'Optics - past, present and future', Rumney recalled his grandfather's early days in practice, contrasting the simplicity of refraction and dispensing then to today's opportunity to provide eye health care of an 'unprecedented' level.

'We now have the facility to hone in on problems and deal with some of the things that ophthalmologists have been dealing with,' he said.

Rumney also attacked the 'product-based, cheapest is best' culture which has left the public uneducated about the value of eye care. 'The current model, based on cross-subsidised sales and expensive chair time, is doomed to fail. In the independent sector the average appointment time is 31 minutes with a charge of £29 while the real cost of the appointment is £65,' he said. 'We sent our staff out to have an eye exam with all our local competitors. The shortest was seven and half minutes while the longest was 14 minutes. This information provided the biggest justification for charging double what anyone else does.'