Letters: Second class citizens

As the AIO Conference gets ever nearer, the difference in treatment of optometrists and dispensing opticians when it comes to funding for CET events becomes stark once again.

For optometrist CET events there is the opportunity to apply for DOCET funding, and it is a pleasure to deal with the DOCET team.

The structure of their funding is of course for OOs only and does not extend to DOs – in fact the funding can be negatively impacted by DOs being present in individual sessions – which is rather bizarre.

Needless to say, we will welcome DOs into all the sessions at our conference. Surely, it is time for dispensing opticians to be supported by their own funding regime that treats them with respect and as the qualified registered practitioners that they are.