Lumen writes: Taking a stand

So the Department of Health has announced a 2.5 per cent increase in the sight test fee, the domiciliary fee, CET allowance and pre-reg training grant. Of course, if the backdated cash amounting to the rise had been appropriately invested by the DoH’s bean-counters over the past nine months, a large chunk of the small 2.5 per cent rise could potentially have been paid for out of the interest accrued.

While we all await the GOS Review, I would advise a degree of realism and caution in the level of expectation. It looks like the profession is doomed to yet another year of supplementing the cost of providing the NHS sight test via the private charges for the same and for specs. Increasingly I hear from colleagues and internet discussion boards that, as margins are squeezed by the likes of the internet suppliers, this cannot go on. Well, it will go on but only as long as we allow it. Hell will freeze over before the DoH voluntarily pays anything resembling an appropriate rate for the time, resource and investment expended in providing the service, unless it is forced to do so. That will only happen if patients start to find it difficult to book an NHS appointment.