Is the fear of being accused of xenophobia allowing a coach and horses to be driven through UK regulatory structures?
There should hardly be any surprise at the fears raised at the General Optical Council meeting last week giving European professionals temporary registration rights in the UK.
As far back as 2002 the European Council of Optometry and Optics had made its concerns about the proposed European Qualifications Directive known at the highest level. At the time ECOO welcomed the draft directive with the proviso that issues surrounding common platforms, language barriers and patient safety concerns could all be satisfied.
If the fears raised last week are anything to go by ECOO's protestations fell on deaf ears and again local attitudes and customs will effectively form the regulatory structure.
Other professions see applications in the region of 20-30 a year but the situation in optics is different because its structure around Europe varies so dramatically. I recently spent a week with a group of opticians from around Europe. The Spanish delegate, an optometrist, explained in very good English that he had a good job in Madrid but was retraining to become a fireman. In Spain he said firemen earned about three times the salary of an optometrist, got preferential housing, a great pension and good holidays.
Once the directive is enacted, will hard-pressed UK firemen be welcomed as readily in Spain as Spanish optometrists are here?