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EDITORIAL 020 7501 6745 Editor-in-chief Chris Bennett 020 7501 6660 chris.bennett@markallengroup.com Editor Simon Jones 020 7501 6667 simon.jones@markallengroup.com Deputy editor Mike Hale 020 7501 6670 mike.hale@markallengroup.com Clinical editor Bill Harvey 07766 508458 bill.harvey@markallengroup.com Content editor Andrew McClean 020 7501 6788 andrew.mcclean@markallengroup.com Online editor Lucy Patchett 020 7501 6663 lucy.patchett@markallengroup.com Production editor Gary O’Connell 020 7501 6706 gary.o’connell@markallengroup.com Art editor Sara Challinor 020 7501 6666 sara.challinor@markallengroup.com ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIP Sales director Darren Ward 020 7501 6668 darren.ward@markallengroup.com Key account manager Joseph Lever 020 7501 6708 joseph.lever@markallengroup.com RECRUITMENT & CLASSIFIED Recruitment solutions manager Daniel Doherty 020 7501 6686 daniel.doherty@markallengroup.com Managing director Anthony Kerr 020 7501 6726 anthony.kerr@markallengroup.com Group production manager Kyri Apostolou 020 7501 6779 kyri.apostolou@markallengroup.com Production director Richard Hamshere Chief executive officer Ben Allen Chairman Mark Allen EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Will Ayliffe PhD FRCS FRCOphth DO; Sally Bates FBDO; Dr Frank Eperjesi PhD BSc MCOptom FAAO; Professor Bernard Gilmartin PhD FCOptom FAAO; Graham Hutchison MBA; Professor Mo Jalie SMSA FBDO FCGI MIMgt; Dr Lyndon Jones PhD FCOptom DCLP DOrth FAAO; Geoff Roberson BSc FCOptom; Dr Steve Taylor PhD MSc FCOptom; Graeme Young MPhil FCOptom DCLP FAAO SUBSCRIPTIONS 0800 137201 Subscribe or renew 01722 716997 subscriptions@markallengroup.com BACK ISSUES 01722 716997 REPRINTS 020 7501 6790 ISSN 0030.3968 Part of www.markallengroup.com Optician is published every Friday © 2022 MA Healthcare Ltd St Judes Church, Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PB. Telephone 020 7738 5454 Website: www.opticianonline.net ISSN 0030.3968 Printed in Britain by Pensord Press, Tram Road, Pontllanfraith, Gwent, NP12 2YA Please read our privacy policy at privacypolicy.markallengroup.com. This will explain how we process, use and safeguard your data facebook.com/opticianonline 7 DAYS To read the full stories and keep up to date on the latest news and views visit opticianonline.net Whistle blown on clinical failures Perth-based optometrist Mary Docherty has been suspended for 12 months by a General Optical Council fitness to practise committee after a panel heard she failed to conduct essential ocular examinations and did not keep accurate records over a period of six years. Docherty was reported to the NHS by a whistle-blower who was concerned about the care of nine patients. The General Ophthalmic Services Performance Review Group (PRG) investigated the records and found concerns in eight out the nine cases. A wider PRG review of 60 patient records found ‘multiple incidents of inadequate patient management, some potentially resulting in long term harm.’ In July 2020, Docherty informed the GOC that she had taken up a new career as a celebrant and was no longer working as an optometrist. She agreed not to apply for registration in the future. Eye care delays outlined at Holyrood An optical campaign group told Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) that over 29,000 patients have experienced waiting times of more than 16 weeks to receive specialist NHS ophthalmology treatment. During a reception at Holyrood on June 1, The Eyes Have It (TEHI) partnership and Sight Scotland said NHS figures showed these patients made up over 50% of the entire ophthalmology waiting list. Ophthalmology was the third busiest outpatient specialty in the Scottish NHS and accounted for 10% of new outpatient appointments in Scotland, the LETTERS Pick of the posts A lack of evidence Optician published an article (7 Days, 03.06.22) by Neil Retallic, president of the BCLA, on the paper entitled ‘All soft contact lenses are not created equal’. The thrust of this paper was that, as a consequence of this inequality, contact lenses should ‘never be substituted for another lens type in the absence of a new prescription.’ However, the report authors state that ‘the present authors are unaware of any direct evidence in the literature demonstrating adverse ocular effects or other unwanted consequences of contact lens substitution.’ To underline this lack of evidence, eye care professionals will be aware that the matter of ‘substitution’ was examined in great detail by the GOC, which recorded in an ICO report from November 7, 2017 (FOI report FS50689175) that there was no evidence to suggest any risk with brand substitution. This, they added, was communicated online to the public via the GOC’s website. ‘No evidence’ surely means ‘no evidence’. Ronald S Hamilton, executive chair, Daysoft Craig Spalding group outlined. Craig Spalding, CEO of Sight Scotland, said: ‘The situation has worsened due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to a dramatic fall in outpatient activity, but there is now an opportunity to improve efficiency, effectiveness and patient experience as the healthcare system looks towards Covid-19 recovery. Reducing waiting lists must be a key priority.’ College adviser awarded an MBE Optometrist and clinical adviser at the College of Optometrists, Daniel Hardiman-McCartney, has been awarded an MBE for services to optometry in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, which was announced as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Colin Davidson, optometrist and president of the College of Optometrists, said: ‘It’s wonderful to see the work of our profession celebrated. Not only does the award represent outstanding personal achievement, but it also reflects growing recognition, by decision-makers and the public, of the vital contribution to public health that all optometrists and Daniel Hardiman-McCartney 4 OPTICIAN 10 June 2022 opticianonline.net
page 5
Follow us on Twitter @opticianonline NEWS IN BRIEF Jubilee crown hunt at independent practice Eye Care Matters in Birstall participated in a Jubilee crown hunt for children by displaying a crown in their window that was crocheted by senior receptionist, Caroline Kitchingman. The independent optical practice in West Yorkshire took part in Jubilee celebrations organised by Birstall Primary Academy and the Birstall Chamber of Trade. Dr Sarah Slade, optometrist and owner of Eye Care Matters, said: ‘Over half term the local children followed the trail collecting letters placed by the crowns in the windows of local businesses. Alongside our crown, we have pictures of the queen in her glasses and information about her spectacle wearing habits.’ Alongside the crown window display, Eye Care Matters showcased its range of spectacles and availability of NHS sight tests to promote eye health and eyewear for children. The Queen is a patient at Roger Pope & Partners in Marylebone, London and has previously worn Silhouette branded frames. The independent optical practice was granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment to Her Majesty the Queen in 2006 and HRH Prince of Wales in 2014. In 2018, the Queen underwent successful surgery to remove a cataract. optical teams make, and their tireless work and commitment throughout the pandemic. We hope this inspires the whole profession as we gain ever greater recognition, and continue to bring optometry to the forefront of primary care.’ MiniPAC takes hybrid approach More than 3,000 eye care professionals attended Specsavers’ Mini Professional Advancement Conferences (PAC), which took place online in April and at face-toface events. Grant Duncan, director of professional advancement at Specsavers, said: ‘The pandemic forced us to re-imagine how to deliver quality, interactive peer discussion online, with Zoom breakout rooms and facilitators. But out of challenge came opportunity and benefits to colleagues who could learn and earn their requisite CPD points from the convenience of their clinic or living room.’ He added that the flexible approach allowed practitioners to mix virtual and in-person events at their convenience. Specsavers’ main PAC for optics and audiology will return as a faceto-face event at the ICC in Birmingham on October 16. Teleoptometry on the rise A literature review of the role of optometry in the delivery of eye care via telehealth has been published in Telehealth and e-Health magazine. Authors identified 27 relevant studies, which found optometrists were commonly involved in ophthalmology-led telehealth collaborations. A total of eight studies reported optometrists independently delivering primary eye care via telehealth and commonly included video conferencing. Authors concluded that the application of teleoptometry to deliver eye care was rapidly emerging and appeared to be a viable adjunct to the delivery of in-person optometry services. The review said Covid-19 created opportunities for optometrists to utilise innovation in telehealth to deliver eye care to individuals who experienced access barriers. Nick Bandy Charmant appoints regional sales manager Charmant Group has appointed Nick Bandy as the new field sales manager for the UK, Netherlands and Flanders. Bandy will be managing the direct sales team, strengthening customer relationships and finding new business opportunities. He has previously led and trained teams, with over 18 years of experience in the optical industry to call upon. Bandy commented: ‘I’m delighted to be joining Charmant at such an exciting time and being part of the growth plans. We already have a strong market presence and I look forward to enhancing that further with the teams.’ opticianonline.net Carole Maldonado-Codina IACLE celebrates educators University lecturers from India, the US and the UK have been recognised by the International Association of Contact Lens Educators (IACLE). The 2022 contact lens educators of the year were: Lavanya Kalikivayi from the Ahalia School of Optometry in Kerala, India; Dr Lindsay Sick from the Illinois College of Optometry in Chicago, US; and Carole Maldonado-Codina from the University of Manchester. Professor Philip Morgan, IACLE president, said: ‘We are excited to announce this year’s Educator of the Year and Travel Awards. Receiving these accolades represents a great achievement for our winners. We are grateful to CooperVision and all IACLE sponsors for sponsoring these important awards once again.’ £3m clinic opens in Belfast Optical Express opened a £3m eye clinic and treatment centre in Belfast to provide increased healthcare services and bring the latest eye care technology to the city. MP Claire Hanna led the official launch of the clinic, which will treat patients on the NHS waiting list as well as private patients. David Moulsdale, CEO and founder at Optical Express, said: ‘Optical Express has looked after patients’ eye care in Belfast for over 30 years and this new treatment clinic is an exciting next step for us in the city. We want to play our part in supporting the city’s recovery from the pandemic, through investment in a new clinic and new jobs, as well as helping to reduce the backlog for ophthalmic care on the NHS.’ 10 June 2022 OPTICIAN 5

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EDITORIAL 020 7501 6745 Editor-in-chief Chris Bennett 020 7501 6660 chris.bennett@markallengroup.com Editor Simon Jones 020 7501 6667 simon.jones@markallengroup.com Deputy editor Mike Hale 020 7501 6670 mike.hale@markallengroup.com Clinical editor Bill Harvey 07766 508458 bill.harvey@markallengroup.com Content editor Andrew McClean 020 7501 6788 andrew.mcclean@markallengroup.com Online editor Lucy Patchett 020 7501 6663 lucy.patchett@markallengroup.com Production editor Gary O’Connell 020 7501 6706 gary.o’connell@markallengroup.com Art editor Sara Challinor 020 7501 6666 sara.challinor@markallengroup.com ADVERTISING & SPONSORSHIP Sales director Darren Ward 020 7501 6668 darren.ward@markallengroup.com Key account manager Joseph Lever 020 7501 6708 joseph.lever@markallengroup.com RECRUITMENT & CLASSIFIED Recruitment solutions manager Daniel Doherty 020 7501 6686 daniel.doherty@markallengroup.com Managing director Anthony Kerr 020 7501 6726 anthony.kerr@markallengroup.com Group production manager Kyri Apostolou 020 7501 6779 kyri.apostolou@markallengroup.com Production director Richard Hamshere Chief executive officer Ben Allen Chairman Mark Allen EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Will Ayliffe PhD FRCS FRCOphth DO; Sally Bates FBDO; Dr Frank Eperjesi PhD BSc MCOptom FAAO; Professor Bernard Gilmartin PhD FCOptom FAAO; Graham Hutchison MBA; Professor Mo Jalie SMSA FBDO FCGI MIMgt; Dr Lyndon Jones PhD FCOptom DCLP DOrth FAAO; Geoff Roberson BSc FCOptom; Dr Steve Taylor PhD MSc FCOptom; Graeme Young MPhil FCOptom DCLP FAAO SUBSCRIPTIONS 0800 137201 Subscribe or renew 01722 716997 subscriptions@markallengroup.com BACK ISSUES 01722 716997 REPRINTS 020 7501 6790 ISSN 0030.3968

Part of www.markallengroup.com

Optician is published every Friday © 2022 MA Healthcare Ltd St Judes Church, Dulwich Road, London SE24 0PB. Telephone 020 7738 5454 Website: www.opticianonline.net ISSN 0030.3968 Printed in Britain by Pensord Press, Tram Road, Pontllanfraith, Gwent, NP12 2YA Please read our privacy policy at privacypolicy.markallengroup.com. This will explain how we process, use and safeguard your data facebook.com/opticianonline

7 DAYS

To read the full stories and keep up to date on the latest news and views visit opticianonline.net

Whistle blown on clinical failures

Perth-based optometrist Mary Docherty has been suspended for 12 months by a General Optical Council fitness to practise committee after a panel heard she failed to conduct essential ocular examinations and did not keep accurate records over a period of six years.

Docherty was reported to the NHS by a whistle-blower who was concerned about the care of nine patients. The General Ophthalmic Services Performance Review Group (PRG) investigated the records and found concerns in eight out the nine cases. A wider PRG review of 60 patient records found ‘multiple incidents of inadequate patient management, some potentially resulting in long term harm.’

In July 2020, Docherty informed the GOC that she had taken up a new career as a celebrant and was no longer working as an optometrist. She agreed not to apply for registration in the future.

Eye care delays outlined at Holyrood An optical campaign group told Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) that over 29,000 patients have experienced waiting times of more than 16 weeks to receive specialist NHS ophthalmology treatment.

During a reception at Holyrood on June 1, The Eyes Have It (TEHI) partnership and Sight Scotland said NHS figures showed these patients made up over 50% of the entire ophthalmology waiting list.

Ophthalmology was the third busiest outpatient specialty in the Scottish NHS and accounted for 10% of new outpatient appointments in Scotland, the

LETTERS

Pick of the posts

A lack of evidence Optician published an article (7 Days, 03.06.22) by Neil Retallic, president of the BCLA, on the paper entitled ‘All soft contact lenses are not created equal’. The thrust of this paper was that, as a consequence of this inequality, contact lenses should ‘never be substituted for another lens type in the absence of a new prescription.’

However, the report authors state that ‘the present authors are unaware of any direct evidence in the literature demonstrating adverse ocular effects or other unwanted consequences of contact lens substitution.’

To underline this lack of evidence, eye care professionals will be aware that the matter of ‘substitution’ was examined in great detail by the GOC, which recorded in an ICO report from November 7, 2017 (FOI report FS50689175) that there was no evidence to suggest any risk with brand substitution. This, they added, was communicated online to the public via the GOC’s website. ‘No evidence’ surely means ‘no evidence’. Ronald S Hamilton, executive chair, Daysoft

Craig Spalding group outlined.

Craig Spalding, CEO of Sight Scotland, said: ‘The situation has worsened due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to a dramatic fall in outpatient activity, but there is now an opportunity to improve efficiency, effectiveness and patient experience as the healthcare system looks towards Covid-19 recovery. Reducing waiting lists must be a key priority.’

College adviser awarded an MBE Optometrist and clinical adviser at the College of Optometrists, Daniel Hardiman-McCartney, has been awarded an MBE for services to optometry in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, which was announced as part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

Colin Davidson, optometrist and president of the College of Optometrists, said: ‘It’s wonderful to see the work of our profession celebrated. Not only does the award represent outstanding personal achievement, but it also reflects growing recognition, by decision-makers and the public, of the vital contribution to public health that all optometrists and

Daniel Hardiman-McCartney

4 OPTICIAN 10 June 2022

opticianonline.net

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