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British Contact Lens Association
Incoming BCLA president, Indie Grewal
The next president of the British Contact Lens Association (BCLA), Indie Grewal, will give his Presidential Address on Thursday 10 September as an online webinar. Titled, ‘Making a lasting first impression’, Indie will share his memories of attending the 1997 BCLA clinical conference, and how his longstanding membership has shaped his contact lens practice. Indie, who takes over from current president Jonathon Bench, will also look at the evolving contact lens market and how new technologies might enhance the practitioner/patient relationship.
Indie said: “Our return back to a new normal way of practising will also be an opportunity for many of us to see new patients, as many be unwilling to travel far or may wish to continue their desire to shop locally. Creating a lasting first impression has always been important when meeting someone new, never more so than today. It can take less than a second for you to judge someone and create a first impression, it’s time to make that second count.” Register at http://www.bcla.org.uk
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Association of British Dispensing Opticians
The National Resource Centre (NRC), the Association of British Dispensing Optician’s flagship meeting, events and examinations venue, has reopened with a raft of safety measures in place. NRC operations manager, Mat Stringer, said: “All staff have completed infection prevention and control (IPC) training, including the use of personal protective equipment [PPE]. PPE will be provided for all Safety a top priority events as well as hand sanitising stations throughout the centre. And communal areas have been adapted to adhere to social distancing. Perspex screens have been fitted in areas where necessary.” There is now contactless sign in, and all areas have been configured for social distancing with protective desktop screens available when needed. The cleaning protocols have been reviewed so cleaning will take place with increased frequency. Visitors will receive a new Covid-19 communication and conduct protocol before each event, along with the assistance of an individual event host. PPE will also be supplied to visitors.
22 Practice Building Practice Building has provided funds for 55 homeless people to gain an eye examination and spectacles thanks to a lockdown marketing initiative. All proceeds from the sale of information packs and marketing material for practices to use in engagement with patients have been donated to Vision Care for Homeless People.
AN INDEPENDENT VIEW The voice of independents The level of frustration amongst independents (that has been so clearly demonstrated in recent weeks) with the ignorance and ineptitude shown by NHS England (NHSE) towards the optical sector (particularly in response to the Coronavirus emergency) is probably at an all-time high. It is fair to say that the various optical bodies have done their damnedest to try to represent the whole sector in an effective manner, but it is simply the case that unlike in Scotland and Wales, NHSE do not have even any basic understanding of the role of optometry and dispensing optics in protecting the nation’s eye health. To them, ‘opticians’ are simply retailers who do some eye tests. This cannot continue and it is reassuring to see the Optometric Fees Negotiating Committee OFNC (finally?) standing up to NHSE and rejecting its 2020/21 GOS sight test fee. Not that this will actually make any difference; the freeze on the fee will simply be imposed. As most independents will know, the AIO has drafted a Post Covid-19 Manifesto that has been discussed with all the main optical bodies including the General Optical Council. It is now being refined following feedback from them and the multitude of practitioners who also responded to our request for input. It is our intention that the manifesto becomes the basis for a drains up review of the relationship with NHSE that results in a complete reshaping of the NHS contract, and on a national level. But we need your help. We have a loyal and growing membership base, and to all of them we are very grateful for their support. However, we need a lot more members to have the moral authority as well as a resource to become the ever stronger Voice of Independents. If you are not a member, please visit aiovision.org and sign up today.
Andy Clark, director of Practice Building, said: “We did a lot of work during lockdown with our one2one campaign in helping practices to reassure their patients about the safety of coming back into the practice. With the strapline, ‘Give your eyes some quality time’ we helped practices to reach thousands of patients, particularly online and via social media. We decided to donate the money generated to Vision Care for Homeless People.” Vision Now AUGUST 2020
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