Chris Bennett: Frustrating NOC has a touch of déjà vu

Anyone attending the NOC in Birmingham last week will have been struck by a serious sense of déjà vu, while many of the old frustrations remain.

An update from the NHS and ophthalmology was delivered, along with a briefing on the current state of play in community eye services. However, the take-up of these services, political will and respect for optometry remained elephants in the room.

The most illuminating elements of the day were the question and answer sessions at the end of the speakers’ presentations. The Royal College of Ophthalmologists spelled out the united front it, and the College of Optometrists presented. This was met with a questioner who wanted to know, if so, why his referral letters go unanswered. This raised round of applause from the room. Comments at coffee also raised concerns over the need for ‘tailored’ further training for optometrists and the lack of optometry in the list of primary healthcare providers.