Comment: Supervision under the spotlight

Exactly what constitutes the dispense of an optical sale and how that is interpreted has long been the subject of discussion.

The Isle of Man case (News 03.07.09 and 10.07.09) is significant in that it specifies how a student should be supervised, but through that what dispensing entails and the employers' duty to inform staff of legal obligations.

The supervision of students requires the supervisor to be on the premises with the student, nice and simple.

Optician understands from the case that dispensing is everything that takes place between the initial meeting until the final product is handed over. Not so simple. If the patient returns subsequent to that and hands their optical appliance back to the practice staff the process starts over. A returned frame with a new screw or reshaped side when being handed back is being dispensed.