By the time I next write my column the May 6 general election will have taken place and, whatever the outcome, the opportunity for us to influence present and prospective members of Parliament will have passed. How will we have used the opportunity in front of us? Judging by the apathy with which the vast majority of this profession seem to approach most things to do with determining our future, I sadly suspect most will have missed their chance completely.
If at no other time, the lead-up to a general election causes a focusing of the minds of both the electorate and, to a far higher degree, the prospective parliamentary candidates. Therefore we, the electorate, have a major opportunity to reach these people and talk to them about our vision for future eye care services. Nothing annoys me more than hearing members of our professions complain about the way things are and then completely ignore opportunities to get involved and, in their own way, attempt to influence their future.
I have already had meetings with the sitting MP and one of the leading candidates locally. These meetings have been highly enlightening as it has shown just how little these people understand about what we do on a daily basis. It also has given me the opportunity to discuss what we have to offer in a modern healthcare setting.
Given that the tariff for secondary care ophthalmology services has rocketed this year by over 20 per cent, there has never been a better opportunity to highlight what optometry has to offer. At a time when the GOS budget has devolved to PCTs with no additional funding for this year's fee increase of 2.2 per cent, PCT finance directors are faced with a shortfall for eye care services even before factoring in this relatively massive increase in costs for hospital ophthalmology services. This makes it even more imperative to put our case for new pathways within primary care. Prospective MPs will be looking to make a name for themselves if they get elected and will also be looking for novel slants on how to put their case to the electorate to ensure they get elected. This is why we must take this opportunity to influence them. Those in the profession who do not get involved over the next month may just live to regret their apathy in the years to come. It is absolutely certain that this profession will look very different indeed by the time the next election comes around. ?