Turnover rises

Figures for April appeared more mixed with dispensing and eye examinations up from March, yet lagging last year's results. Contact lens fits and turnover on the other hand increased on both counts.
Eye examinations improved by 7 per cent from March, down just 1.5 per cent from last year. The trend overall still looks negative, down 2 per cent on average over the past 12 months. The proportion of tests that were NHS was consistent at 63.4 per cent. Over time, however, this trend is increasing. The proportion last year was 62.7 per cent, and the year before, 59.3 per cent.
Total dispensing volume increased by 9 per cent from March, down 5 per cent from last April. There has been negligible growth over the past 12 months.
Progressive lenses jumped 24 per cent last month, down 2 per cent from last year. However, this rise has increased their share to 17.6 per cent. The growth rate over 12 months is a more modest 5 per cent. Single-vision lenses rose by 8 per cent, down 7 per cent from last April. The proportion of spectacles dispensed with single-vision lenses was still around 69 per cent. Growth is just negative at less than -1 per cent.There was no movement in bifocals compared to March or last April. However, over the year, volume has fallen by 4 per cent on average.
There was very little change in the dispensing rate in April, at 68 per cent. This figure was calculated from the total number of eye examinations and total dispensing, and hence does not take into account multiple dispensing.
AR volumes were up 25 per cent from the previous month, down slightly from last April (-2 per cent). The percentage of spectacles dispensed with reflection free coating rose slightly at 48.6 per cent, not quite making the 50 per cent seen last April. The trend continues upward at 10 per cent growth on average over the last 12 months.
The number of new contact lens fits reached the highest point since last summer, at 167. This is up 35 per cent from March and up 20 per cent from April 2003. The growth rate, calculated from the moving average over the last year, is 9 per cent.
Solution sales also increased over April, up 8 per cent from March and up 4 per cent from last April. Annual growth remains negligible.
Total practice turnover results increased by 18 per cent from March, and exceeded last year's by 28 per cent. This reflects the effect of increased sales value rather than volume of sales. The average growth for the last 12-month period stands at 16 per cent.
Turnover per eye examination was up slightly from recent months at £128, compared to £121, but up significantly against last year's figure of £104.
When comparing your practice with the results it is important to note that all our figures are equated to a 25-day month, so year on year, month on month we can compare equal time periods. April had 24 working days (excluding Sundays and UK Bank holidays).
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