Comment: Test of strength and weakness

Another fillip for practices to implement professional fees was applied this week, and interestingly it was provided by the internet.

Dollond & Aitchison's hijacked free eye exam promotion (see news) demonstrated painfully, for optical practices, how the market has changed. Footfall has long been the gold standard for practice turnover but clearly that link has been broken. No longer can enticing patients into practice be equated with sales and turnover. In fact it is a double whammy. Not only are patients coming in and not buying product but they are effectively picking the pocket of the practice to the tune of £50 as well.