Weco recruits second practice
A second independent has joined Weco's scheme to help smaller practices purchase their equipment.
Ellis Bass, the Barkingside outlet, has joined Stepneyes Opticians in a programme which claims to give independents a 'fighting chance' to compete with multiples when buying testing and lab equipment.
Practice owners purchase all their lab equipment from Weco at a loyalty rate, and receive full support and advice from the company. The scheme, started this year, hopes to attract between 15-20 practices eventually, and those who join are termed 'Weco Superstores'.
Ron Wright, sales manager for Weco UK, said: 'We have been delighted by the interest from potential superstores, and this has allowed us to be more selective. These practices are showpieces for our company, and in return we offer various benefits to the customer when purchasing their equipment.'
Rochester-based Weco remains on the lookout for more independents to join the scheme. optician reported on the first superstore, Stepneyes, in our March 5 2004 edition.
Boots fights back with aggressive pricing
An aggressive retail pricing programme is one of the first outcomes of Boots Opticians' integration with its pharmacy business.
It follows a difficult year for the optical business within Boots plc, which is now run by former Asda chief operating officer Richard Baker, who has ordered the opticians chain to be managed by Boots The Chemists.
In what will be seen as another positive move, Boots Opticians is currently holding meetings with its professional staff to emphasise new management opportunities within the optometry business.
This week it launched a half price sale on its own designs - from £49.50 - and dropped the retail price of its designer brands to as low as £77.50, including singe-vision lenses.
Director of professional services David Cartwright said: 'The policy builds on our strategy for the future. It has been well heralded that Boots Opticians will be working more closely with Boots the Chemist and we plan to use this association to build awareness of the opticians. Our plan is to fully implement the chemists' proposition to ensure value for money, clear pricing and consistency.'
Boots' new pricing policy goes hand in hand with the move towards encouraging OOs and DOs to take up practice management. Cartwright explained that throughout the week meetings were taking place across the country encouraging groups of optometrists to make the most of this opportunity.
'Optometrists are key to business success,' he said. 'It is absolutely sensible to put your key member of the team as the practice manager so that they can make the decisions that will determine the success of the practice.'
Earlier this year Boots Opticians abandoned its laser eye surgery offer and shed staff.
Shipman report: GOC 'ahead of the game'
Representatives from the GOC and other health groups were poring over the latest report from the Shipman Inquiry.
The fifth document released by Dame Janet Smith and her team deals with fitness to practise issues. The report backs the new body established to oversee the dealings of the UK professional bodies, the Council of Healthcare Regulatory Excellence.
GOC registrar Peter Coe said the optical profession's move towards mandatory CET in 2005 showed it was 'ahead of the game' in terms of
fitness to practise issues. The new scheme, run by Vantage, clearly anticipates these findings,' he said, 'and shows the profession has to be exacting in ensuring the public gets an adequate service.'
Inducements 'unacceptable and unethical'
In a week when optometry's involvement in the refractive sector has been taken to task by MPs - see story opposite - new professional guidelines and advice for optometrists have been issued.
The College of Optometrists guidance, which will go before the GOC next month, emphasises that it is 'unacceptable and unethical' for optometrists to accept introductory fees or any other inducement for referring patients for treatment.
'Optometrists are increasingly being approached to enter into agreements with (laser) refractive surgery clinics,' the advice states. 'These agreements may be for patient referral or for pre- and/or postoperative patient management.
'The overriding consideration for any optometrist entering into such an agreement must be their ability to retain complete clinical freedom.
'Optometrists should not enter into agreements that restrict them professionally in any way: the only determinant of referral should be the patient's welfare. Their ability to act in the interests of the patient may be compromised if they enter into agreements that restrict them to referring patients to one clinic alone,' said the College.
However, the College's advice has said that optometrists may be paid for attending information and training sessions on refractive surgical procedures, and where an optometrist provides advice or services to a patient as part of the refractive surgical process he or she may charge 'an appropriate fee'.
A College spokeswoman said: 'The College has developed guidelines on refractive surgery co-management, working in conjunction with other optical bodies, and will publish these on our website later this week. The guidelines, which will form part of our Guidance for Professional Conduct, will be seen by the GOC standards committee in January.'