Chris Bennett: All I want from Christmas is... a sustainable manpower model

There are sure to  be many interesting things included on the Christmas wishlists of optical professionals but the establishment of yet another optometry degree course is unlikely to be one of them.

News last week (12.12.14) that the University of Central Lancashire may be setting up an optometry programme is sure to foment the kind of opposition that was vented at the establishment of the Hertford course. While this may draw accusations of Scrooge-like thinking and the ugly face of self-interest it's not too hard to see why optometrists, especially those employed, would not want to see the marketplace for optometrists flooded. Salaries are linked to the numbers of those qualified to do the job while it could be argued that if you let more people in the standards will fall. But what about the other stakeholders?  The three spectres, in this particular nightmare could be characterised as being  the employers, universities, and let's not forget, potential undergraduates. The benefit for employers is cheaper labour, for universities more bums on seats, for students more likelihood of a job. All of the players have their interests.