December, for me affords a time for reflection on the year past. I was lucky enough this year to spend Thanksgiving in the USA with a wonderful family. This was the first time I had done this and it was just so lovely to be included in the heart of a loving joyful family. Thanksgiving is not a religious event but a nationwide celebration for all peoples to celebrate their freedom and to give thanks for all the good things in life. I would again like to, through this column, thank Leslie and her family for showing me and Mrs Moneo a truly wonderful time and reminding me of how important family and friends are to us all. I say this is because this time caused me to start my annual reflections earlier giving me longer to cogitate on the year and its ramifications.
This year should have been a truly major turning point for the profession of optometry. If I was to ask you all what was the one thing that stood out for you this year I wonder what you would reply? There will be many who consider the complete meltdown of Capita in its ability to perform simple tasks. There will be others who consider the so-called epiphany of one of the country’s leading optical shop chains. Moreover, there will be those who see the reports of the independent sector heading the way in patient care and trust as the most outstanding event of the year. Each and every one of you will have your standout moments.
As I sat around the Thanksgiving table in Concord USA I was mindful this was the site where the Americans first whipped the backsides of the English in the American War of Independence. Indeed we were reminded of this fact. But here we were as guests and friends of this terrific family. Despite all that had happened in the USA presidential elections and the impact across the whole of the country here was this family together, where the big things didn’t matter. The little things that tie a family together were the things that really mattered. This made me realise that it is not the big things that matter in my daily life as an optometrist. It is the small things that I do with my individual patients that are the things that really matter. I have used the word patient here deliberately. There are those out there who will insist that the people who visit our premises are customers or shoppers. While that may be true when they are purchasing goods as far as I am concerned when they sit in my chair and put their trust in me to preserve and correct their eyesight as well as look after their health they are a patient. To treat someone seeking out medical care as a potential purchaser is betraying the individual bond of trust between the practitioner and the patient. Working to strict ‘conversion rates’ or ‘average retail sales spend’ has no place in health care.
It is this treating of our patients as consumer articles that I believe led to the biggest event of this year. I have not listed this in the events above as I suspect it is an event that most will already have, sadly, forgotten about. It is an event that should have shaken the very roots of our profession and should be at the forefront of the mind of every single optometrist every day. I refer of course to the very sad case of Vincent Barker. How many of you reading this column immediately put this at the top of your events list for this year? It was a truly tragic case and I am reminded of the immense dignity of Vincent’s family at the time of the court ruling.
I include here two statements reported at the time; ‘Our intention is not to damage the reputation of optometrists, but actually to raise awareness and promote the health benefits and value of good optometry.’ And ‘If this case makes the optometry profession reflect on their practices and review their policies to prevent it happening to anyone again then it will be worthwhile.’ My fear is that all has gone quiet and we have returned to our old ways with nothing learned. I sincerely hope that during 2016 and into 2017 our regulator has examined this case in fine detail. Not just the actions of the optometrist concerned but the work modes and practices of the shop she found herself working in. My hope is that in 2017 we will see a report that truly encompasses the wishes of Vincent’s parents and that we as a profession can move forward with the trust put in us by our patients at the centre of everything we do rather than the whims of shareholders.
This Christmas, as you sit down around your Christmas dinner table with your nearest and dearest and reflect on your good fortune please set a place in your heart for Vincent’s family for they will be missing one young person around their dinner table. Determine that in 2017 nothing, like this can ever be allowed to happen again.
A very happy Christmas to you all.