Pandemic FTP case dropped by GOC

A body corporate fitness to practise case against a Specsavers franchise partner alleged to have seen walk-in patients in the latter-stages of lockdown has been dropped just days before it was scheduled to be heard.

The hearing involving Northants VisionPlus had been scheduled between February 20 and March 3 2023. A director of the franchisee was accused of failing to safeguard the welfare of patients and staff and permitting or facilitating in person consultations that were non-essential contrary to government and sector health protection regulations that were in force at the time. The committee said these allegations not only amounted to misconduct to deficient professional performance.