Actus writes: Time for change?

In October I found myself at a meeting of independent optometrists and dispensing opticians. A few things stood out. There were protracted discussions in relation to the provision of NHS General Ophthalmic Services (GOS) in England.

This ranged from pulling out of GOS altogether to seeking to change the existing GOS sight test to be subject to a voucher system (like spectacles) rather than there being an insistence the fee covered the cost entirely.

This would enable practices who charge more than the GOS fee for private sight tests to charge their patients the difference. It would also enable the NHS to save money as practices whose private fee is currently less than the GOS fee would only be able to claim the lower figure of the prevailing GOS rate or the usual private fee. This is not a new idea but has its time come?