When time does not equal money

After reading letters discussing the effects of an increased sight test fee on payments made to locum optometrists (optician, December 18/25) I thought I should point out that not all locums are interested solely in making money. I have been working as a locum optometrist for several years and have always stipulated that sight test appointments should be at 30-minute intervals, and accepted the lower fees that optical practices tend to pay on that basis. However, recently I have been informed that two large optical companies now operate a policy of sight test appointments at 20-minute intervals, and thus are no longer able to use me as a locum (except in practices operated as franchises), unless I speed up my sight testing. While this is disappointing, it does not hinder me from getting work at present, because there are other optical practices that will use me as a locum on the basis of 30-minute sight tests. However, it does concern me as to the direction in which the optometric profession is heading. Should we not be concentrating on professionalism and patient care? Or am I out of touch with today's optical market by insisting on 30-minute sight tests? I would be interested to know what other optometrists think. Personally, I do not consider that optometrists who test every 20 minutes are necessarily in any way unprofessional. Rather, I believe that optometrists should be allowed the freedom to choose the length of time with patients that they feel they need. Kevin Woodbridge Beeston, Nottingham changes to GOS voucher funding. While I have sympathy with the need for a greater level of funding for the NHS eye examination per