We all know the story, a once-revered group of dedicated, elite professionals is sidelined by those in government.
Despite their protestations, the powers that be ignore their cries for pay parity with those in comparable occupations. As time passes their remuneration declines until they find themselves on a comparative fraction of what they once earned. Despite the fall in their earnings they receive a couple of paltry percentage points on their income from the government.
This year both optometrists and members of Parliament feel they fall into this camp. But the big difference is that while the Optometric Fees Review Committee has secured a 2.5 per cent increase in GOS fees, MPs have a bigger prize in mind.
According to national reports, backbench MPs feel their basic £60,277 annual salary has fallen way behind that of comparable professions. One northern MP complained that a local GP in his area earned more than £100,000 more than the MP himself.
If this statement (and comparison) in itself isn't proof enough of the MP's detachment from reality, it appears some backbenchers are lobbying for an increase of the basic MP's salary to £100,000.
It's all well and good for the OFRC to moan about the 'difficult background' conditions behind its failure to win a decent increase in fees, but the profession has to live with the reduced income.
In practice, this means private customers paying more for products, reducing the frequency of visits and hastening the flight of patients to the internet.
