The Optical Confederation Joint Education Committee recently set up working groups to better influence the GOC education review. I represent ABDO on the independent prescribing working group. You might ask ‘what has IP got to do with dispensing opticians?’
The relationship between dispensing optician and optometrist is akin to pharmacist and doctor. I believe our relationship should extend beyond sight test prescriptions, to those medical prescriptions within the remit of therapeutically qualified optometrists.
The slow progress in IP in the UK is very disappointing. In other countries where optometrists have earned this right, most optometrists have sought to get themselves qualified, and IP has quickly entered undergraduate training. UK optometrists and DOs have also been slow to uptake their right to dispense a range of medicines. The selection on sale in most practices is poor, and the average optometrist recommends the patient visits their GP or pharmacy where they may be recommended an outdated product.
In recent months I’ve tried to purchase Catacrom, Thera-Pearl and Auto-Drop locally. Not one optical practice could help. Pharmacies were little better – ordering for collection the next day. Waiting days for a GP and for hours in A&E, may be the norm, but if we are serious about IP and enhanced services then let’s start by having the right products to solve patients’ problems available.
Searching the GOC register, outside of hospitals, there are only half a dozen IP optometrists within 40 miles of me, serving a population of over five million. For ‘eye A&E’ and ‘eye pharmacy’ to become a reality the average optom, DO and CLO must really up their game.