Optical Confederation

The Optical Confederation is a British trade association launched in April 2010.[1] It is said to help the optometric profession to "punch well above its weight". Lobbying is one of its key activities.[2] It agrees on advice to opticians with the Department of Health about the administration of NHS sight tests [3] and what fees practitioners can claim.[4] It also issues guidance on professional issues which apply to the entire optical sector, such as the prevention of abuse of vulnerable patients.[5]

The members are:

Chris Hunt is chairman of the Confederation.[6]

Achievements

The Confederation negotiated a solution to the difficulties posed by the use of fluorescein impregnated paper strips when Bausch & Lomb discontinued the production of Fluorets. These strips which are applied to the eye are borderline products and have been regulated as medicines in the UK, whereas they are regulated as medical devices in most of the rest of the EU.[7]

At the end of 2014 the Confederation negotiated agreement that practitioners in England could use the NHS logo on their practice fronts.[8]

It played an important role in arranging the funding for the Foresight Project which is intended to address the challenges of technological change to the profession.[9]

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References
  1. "Confederation launched". Optometry Today. 29 April 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  2. "Optical Confederation: Five years on". Optometry Today. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  3. "Reply to Andrew Matheson". Optician Online. 22 June 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
  4. "AOP issues GOS guidance". Optometry Today. 25 June 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
  5. "Optical Confederation updates Safeguarding Guidance". Optometry Today. 5 August 2014. Archived from the original on 21 July 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
  6. "GOC thanks stakeholders for participation in consultation process". Optician Online. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
  7. "Expert panel approves fluorescein strips use". Optician Online. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  8. "Optical Confederation: Five years on". Optometry Today. 20 April 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  9. "Alan Tinger spells out Foresight project in an address to the European Council of Optometry & Optics General Assembly". Optician Online. 21 June 2015. Retrieved 19 July 2015.
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