Sanctions placed on bonus scheme trio

Three dispensing opticians have been punished by the General Optical Council after payments were manipulated to meet a bonus scheme at Boots Opticians.

A fitness to practise hearing last week saw Jonathan Beake erased from the registers, Elaine Warren suspended for 12 months and Andrew Norton issued with a warning.

The allegations were based on events in 2008 and 2009, surrounding their employment as managers of various branches of Boots Opticians in the South West of England, the fitness to practise committee heard.

During the period Boots Opticians ran bonus schemes for staff linked to financial results targets and selling insurance and fundus photograph services.