Comment: Duty of care to the elderly

The RNIB is recognised by most people as an upstanding and caring organisation and a body most optical professionals actively support. Its report last week (see news), Older people and eye tests, included many of the messages those involved in optics have come to expect. The lack of understanding among the elderly of their eye care entitlement, the fear of blindness, the failure of old people to have regular eye examinations and the cost.

The report also contained a bit of sting in the tail for the profession, calling for the optical bodies to place a duty of care on optometrists to offer or provide access to domiciliary services to their patients. And that means you.