Predictions are dangerous at the best of times but it has become a tradition to indulge in a little crystal ball gazing at Christmas.
By anyone’s standards 2016 was a pretty momentous year, mainly for the unpredictability of happenings rather than the happenings themselves. I doubt there will be many commentators saying ‘I told you so’ in the review of the year tsunami we will be subjected to over the Christmas break. Love it or loathe it the people voted out a layer of government. They have: ‘had enough of experts,’ as Michael Gove put it.
For me Christmas conjures up echoes of the 19th century, Dickensian scenes where goodwill wins out against the greed and oppression of a newly commercialised world. As my colleague Moneo puts it, the power of human level interaction shining through.
In reality the early 1800s were characterised by populist movements rising up against a ruling Westminster elite it felt had lost touch with the population it was supposed to serve, exploitative landlords and a growing underclass. Plus ça change.
In 1832 the pre-Victorians eventually got the Great Reform Act which paved the way for further reforms which shape modern democracy and universal suffrage. The juggernaut of change had begun to roll.
I can guess at what might happen on a macro level: Specsavers transforming the relationship between high street optics and the NHS, the independent sector pushing back against those multiples that have lost their way or the taxman taking an interest in the locum explosion.
At an optical sector level change must take place. Just as national government optical bodies must look to fundamentals to provide cost-effective and practical governance and guidance to those who fund them.
Happy Christmas.