Optical Confederation
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{short description|British trade association}}
The Optical Confederation is a British trade association launched in April 2010.{{cite news|title=Confederation launched|url=http://www.optometry.co.uk/news-and-features/news/?article=993|accessdate=17 July 2015|publisher=Optometry Today|date=29 April 2010}} It is said to help the optometric profession to "punch well above its weight". Lobbying is one of its key activities.{{cite news|title=Optical Confederation: Five years on|url=http://www.optometry.co.uk/news-and-features/features/?article=7223|accessdate=17 July 2015|publisher=Optometry Today|date=20 April 2015}} It agrees on advice to opticians with the Department of Health about the administration of NHS sight tests {{cite news|title=Reply to Andrew Matheson|url=http://www.opticianonline.net/253278/|accessdate=19 July 2015|publisher=Optician Online|date=22 June 2015}} and what fees practitioners can claim.{{cite news|title=AOP issues GOS guidance|url=http://www.optometry.co.uk/news-and-features/features/?article=7444|accessdate=19 July 2015|publisher=Optometry Today|date=25 June 2015}} It also issues guidance on professional issues which apply to the entire optical sector, such as the prevention of abuse of vulnerable patients.{{cite news|title=Optical Confederation updates Safeguarding Guidance|url=http://www.optometry.co.uk/news-and-features/news/?article=6222|accessdate=19 July 2015|publisher=Optometry Today|date=5 August 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721190213/http://www.optometry.co.uk/news-and-features/news/?article=6222|archivedate=21 July 2015}}
The members are:
- Association of British Dispensing Opticians
- Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers
- Association of Optometrists
- Federation of Manufacturing Opticians
- Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians
Chris Hunt is chairman of the Confederation.{{cite news|title=GOC thanks stakeholders for participation in consultation process|url=http://www.opticianonline.net/goc-thanks-stakeholders-participation-consultation-process/|accessdate=19 July 2015|publisher=Optician Online|date=10 June 2015}}
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.{{cite news|title=Expert panel approves fluorescein strips use|url=http://www.opticianonline.net/expert-panel-approves-fluorescein-strips-use/|accessdate=17 July 2015|publisher=Optician Online|date=25 September 2013}}
At the end of 2014 the Confederation negotiated agreement that practitioners in England could use the NHS logo on their practice fronts.{{cite news|title=Optical Confederation: Five years on|url=http://www.optometry.co.uk/news-and-features/features/?article=7223|accessdate=17 July 2015|publisher=Optometry Today|date=20 April 2015}}
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.{{cite news|title=Alan Tinger spells out Foresight project in an address to the European Council of Optometry & Optics General Assembly|url=http://www.opticianonline.net/alan-tingers-spells-foresight-project-address-european-council-optometry-optics-general-assembly/|accessdate=19 July 2015|publisher=Optician Online|date=21 June 2015}}
References
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External links
- [http://www.opticalconfederation.org.uk/about-us/about-us Optical Confederation]
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Category:Eye care in the United Kingdom