Comment: Miracle on Harley Street

A new sense of connection and reality seems to have taken hold at the General Optical Council. Thanks to reduced costs, a less pessimistic outlook and a changed structure, retention fees have been cut (see news).

Just as striking is the massive change in the GOC's approach. Anyone attending last week's Council meeting would have noticed a tangible difference in the tone of proceedings. So what has changed?

Major personnel changes at the GOC, government policies and pressure from the professions all seem to have had an effect. The speed and unanimity with which the agenda was devoured certainly implied Council members had had any difficult conversation before the public gallery was opened. Government austerity measures have raised question marks about the future but the axe the coalition recently took to quangos looks to have lightened the regulatory load on optics (see page 8).