Omen writes

Grace Haine, Letters February 16, bemoans the lot of dispensing opticians and has mounted her own one-man campaign to emphasise this by metaphorically chaining herself to the railings of 41 Harley Street and refusing to renew her registration on the basis that the GOC does not fully recognise the profession of dispensing optician.

However much I agree with her sentiments about the government's treatment of her profession, her protest is directed at the wrong target and will only reduce her personal standing.

She is rightly proud of her professional qualification and seeks to retain this through continuing membership of ABDO, but by failing to continue registration Ms Haine forgoes her right to call herself a dispensing optician. A further protest is to refuse to undertake CET until DOs are on an equal footing with optometrists in respect of funding. I fear I am repeating myself in saying that the funding for optometrists relates to that element of their work that is part of their GOS contract only. Since DOs are not contracted to the GOS, there is no case for funding from the NHS.