Moneo and In focus (13.01.17) prompted these thoughts on 2017.
I note from Optician’s news column the Optical Confederation (OC) following on the resignation of its charismatic chair, Chris Hunt, is now to be chaired on a short rotating basis between its member organisations. However well-intentioned, this is never going to work.
The OC needs strong independent chairing like the late Sir Richard Meyjes the founding chairman of IPF which begat today’s OC, latterly Don Grocott and Chris Hunt – all hard acts to follow. Perhaps that is the reason nobody can seemingly be found willing to handle this pan of hot chestnuts. Why do I feel OC needs independent chairing because our optics sector faces some very challenging issues with some unpalatable truths needing to be ironed out. Those positive outcomes only likely following the continuity of a long term independent chair at its helm.
By way of examples, the UK optical supply industry traditionally enjoyed a manageable routine of one major optical exhibition every two years. Now it has become two exhibitions in just one year. This duplication is totally unsustainable for optical supply companies. Many of whom have overseas exhibitions to fund in the interim. This was a situation well recognised by Chris Hunt and was repeatedly brought to the table at his initiative for discussion within the OC and with others from across the sector, myself included, despite a majority seemingly being in favour of rationalisation, optical intransigence again won the day.
Verum recently produced an Optician page outlining a long list of optometric aspirations while commenting that likely dilution by 200 clinical commissioning groups would frustrate their goals all seemingly areas of more work for OC.
Then there is the unresolved matter of how optics reacts to the new apprenticeship levy – a pass the parcel ABDO was apparently left holding as the music stopped. Not overlooking ophthalmic clinical routines increasingly subsidised by eyewear sales, issues of adjustable power readers, iPhone eye tests, binocular wave-front refractions and Mecs to the top of the hill and back again.
These and many, many more will have to be managed within our sector so let there be no doubt there is an all-important role for the OC as our senior optical organisation. It is essential it is structured and managed so that it is not susceptible to individual associations acting as drag anchors immediately a tricky topic personal to them falls into the net. Besides which, I doubt if any of those individual organisations really have any spare executive time to focus on extra tasks other than encouragement to minimalistic and safe agendas, all at a time when the way ahead for every aspect of optics seems considerably trickier than previously.
It would be more than unfortunate if the OC was allowed to fade after so much time and energy has been expended in reaching today’s position. It has to succeed, for what is the alternative? Can anyone really see the successful launch of a new organisation to provide the ‘one voice’ optics so desperately needs? One with the will and collective engagement of those people with the skill set and desire to achieve common aims or are we going to return to the never-never land of yesteryear. So is our optical direction of travel to be backwards or remain forwards?