REGION UPDATE – LONDON ABI PAGE
Building a new future ithout considering any personal loss or suffering, optical practices across the UK have stood up to the challenge of the past 12 months and continued to deliver essential eyecare services throughout all tiers and lockdowns. We’ve donned PPE, made physical changes to our practices, enforced social distancing measures, become appointment only, and cleaned every surface in sight. We’ve learnt new skills and entered a virtual world for team meetings, remote triage and Covid-19 urgent eyecare services – CUES. We should be so proud of the resilience we have shown and the challenges we have overcome, but be mindful that many optical professionals are still feeling the strain as the relentless demands and stresses continue. In the joint letter co-signed by optical leaders in the UK (Dispensing Optics April 2021), we are reminded to look after ourselves and our colleagues. Changes in behaviour, irritability or distress should not be ignored; take time to talk and listen. Remember: ABDO membership provides access to a 24-hour counselling helpline on 0333 000 2082. We are now taking slow and steady steps towards some level of normality, with most staff and a large percentage of patients now vaccinated. As we cautiously prepare for the future, we may revisit plans we had in place before March 2020. Are those plans still relevant? Should they be revised or scrapped completely? For some, the pandemic has been a time to reflect and re-evaluate.
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MORE CHANGES AHEAD Some practice owners have decided that the frustrations of a restrictive NHS contract, historic low fees and now the implementation of eGOS/PSCE are all too much and have made the move to private or semi-private practice. Others, either by choice or not, have left optics all together. Others will be looking to learn from the experiences of the past year to build a stronger future. Whether you’re a dispensing optician, practice owner or local optical committee (LOC) member, or all three, now certainly seems to be an opportunity for change. From a personal perspective, it has been easy to be consumed by a Covid bubble working in practice over the past year, but further potential change is all around us. The General Optical Council’s (GOC) Education Strategic Review (ESR) is proceeding, and the NHS continues to evolve, with the national eyecare recovery and transformation programme (NERTP) bringing together existing programmes/initiatives including GIRFT (getting it right first time) and the recent eyecare electronic referral service (E-eRS). More change may be ahead with the publication of the Department of
Abi in practice early on during the pandemic
Health’s recent white paper, titled ‘Working together to improve health and social care for all’. Closer to home, what will practice look like in a year’s time? Will we still be wearing PPE? Will you remain appointment only? Are there changes to your working day that you would like to see made permanent? Will team meetings, networking events, CET lectures and LOC meetings remain virtual or will a hybrid solution be the way forward? Change can be overwhelming and the results both positive and negative. It’s important to prepare, understand and consider what any changes may mean in our various roles – or risk being left behind. Where would we like to be in the future both personally, and as a practice or profession? We’ve all heard the famous quote: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”. As dispensing opticians, we need to ensure we are kept informed and are sitting at the right tables so our opinions and views are heard. We need to be our own champions. As we contemplate the future and prepare for more change, I would encourage all members to arm themselves with knowledge. Talk and network with colleagues. Take time to process information. Make sure you’re on the mailing list of your LOC and attend its AGM. If you want to go a step further and feel passionately about protecting and enhancing the role of the dispensing optician, ask about getting involved. I’m always happy to hear from members in the London region, so please feel free to get in touch by emailing apage@abdoregions.org ABI PAGE FBDO is director and dispensing optician at Page & Small Opticians, and ABDO regional lead for London. She is vice chair of Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich LOC, and regional board director of LOCSU. JUNE 2021 DISPENSING OPTICS
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