Britain's inability to cope with cold and snowy weather is matched only by its inability to learn lessons from these increasingly frequent events.
Tales of the 'wrong kind of snow' or rock salt deliveries that never materialised are legends in the sound-bite bible issued to Britain's army of public sector apologists.
A whole range of public services were disrupted and cancelled last week as the cold took hold. Many hospitals cancelled out-patient clinics as they struggled to get their staff in or accepted that many patients would struggle to find their way into the local hospital. Transport struggled, roads remained blocked and the closure of schools stopped many from venturing to work.
In stark contrast, up and down the country, optical practices were fully staffed, warm, lit and ready for business.
This is just another reminder of the power and flexibility of the optical primary care delivery model. The lack of centralisation, the use of local labour and premises and the human scale of optics, added to the camaraderie among the work force, will all have helped to keep practices open for business.
Sadly, some practices will have been rewarded with cancelled appointments and no shows. But make no mistake, patients who did get the appointment they expected will appreciate the dependability and professionalism shown by their optical practice.
