Chris Bennett: Transforming cooperation into action

It's highly unlikely that all of the optical bodies could attract a government minister to address their annual general meeting or secure 100 plus delegates.

Bringing all of the optical bodies together as achieved by the Optical Confederation Conference does these things and more. Alongside the 'Minister for Eyes' Lord Howe on the speakers list was the registrar of the General Optical Council and the president of the pan-European optical grouping, ECOO. More importantly it put on stage, shoulder to shoulder, all of the main players in the optical professions, industry and business. The panel lined up to take, clearly unscripted, questions from the audience in what promised to be a full and frank exchange of views. In the event the discussion ended up being a little bit too polite with obvious clashes between the panelists left unspoken. Questioning of the Minister was also measured.