Sir Tony upbeat over fight for CET funding

The fight for dispensing optician CET funding and recognition will continue unabated but DOs in England are likely to be the last to benefit.

That was the message from an upbeat Sir Tony Garrett, general secretary of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians, speaking at the body's annual general meeting. He said the strides made by ABDO in securing representation on national bodies and the support it enjoyed from other areas of optics would eventually win through.

'In terms of funding we are trying to influence what is happening in the devolved parliaments. It could sadly be the case that DOs in England could be left behind,' he said. 'The Department [of Health] has got a closed mind on the issue but the view in the other three countries is much more open.'