Chris Bennett: Standing up for what is right

Good luck to the AIO in its attempts to get an explanation from Capita on the issue of late payments to optical practices (click here to read our news story.

It’s interesting that it’s left up to the Association for Independent Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians (AIO) to formally press Capita on this issue. The AIO is a minnow in optical body terms. (Read our Optician Optical Bodies Review). Its revenues of £80,000 are dwarfed by the AOP’s £7.6m, the College’s £6.7m or the GOC’s £6.5m but it refuses to partake in the code of omerta that seems to have befallen the bodies on NHS payments.