I am a qualified dispensing optician/practice manager for Boots Opticians and I am appalled at the recent developments.
I would like to raise a few points: Is what they are doing to the retail managers legal? They are not making their role redundant, just employing qualified staff instead, and as most if not all retail managers can dispense, how can they do this?
They say there will be no major effect, yet in our area there is a branch with a retail manager and a qualified dispenser and they are looking to replace the retail manager with a qualified dispensing manager. What happens to the current dispenser? Will they be shipped out?
We are now going to be responsible to a chemist area manager who has no idea of optics and apparently is going on a one-day course to learn how to run optics. I find this an insult with over 20 years in optics behind me. Maybe I'm a slow learner if they can learn it in a day?
Pre-reg optometrists have allegedly been approached offering practice manager's roles. They surely are not business wise and will have enough on their plate trying to get into a smooth testing pattern without all the hassles of management.
Believe me, staff morale is already plummeting and already a few optometrists are handing in their notice. I fear a mass exodus will happen and that it will take a long time to recover.
Why don't the people making the decisions spend time on the shop floor to see what it is like in the real world?
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