John Tomlinson (Letters, July 8) may think that the AOP has been silent on the new regulations governing domiciliaries. I can assure him that is not the case. He may like to revisit a long piece in Optometry Today as long ago as May 6, in which I am quoted as saying that 'the AOP is concerned that the new arrangements are unnecessarily bureaucratic' - a point which we have made to the Department of Health on numerous occasions since then, informally and formally. (Mr Tomlinson should have seen the original regulations in draft. They were worse.)
The AOP's prediction is turning out to be accurate, judging by the number of complaints received from practitioners. We have passed these complaints to the Department directly, and indirectly by encouraging practitioners themselves to contact the Department.
The latest nonsense to arise in connection with pre-notification is the instruction to practitioners by a PCT in the north east prohibiting the use of emails! This is Caldicott gone mad. Hopefully, this anomaly will be removed soon.
As for the rest of Mr Tomlinson's remarks, I agree with him entirely.
Richard Carswell
Association of Optometrists
John Tomlinson (Letters, July 8) may think that the AOP has been silent on the new regulations governing domiciliaries.