Government Regulation Archive

Deregulation in British Columbia puts eye health at risk, says WCO

The World Council of Optometry (WCO) has expressed serious concern about deregulation of the optical market due to take effect in the Canadian province of British Columbia (BC) this week.

The new regulations remove restrictions that permit only optometrists, opticians or those supervised by them, to dispense spectacles or contact lenses, and allow online sales without an eye examination or an optometrist’s prescription or specification (News 26.03.10).

The WCO, whose secretariat is hosted by the College of Optometrists, has written to the BC Premier and health minister saying that the changes ‘fundamentally undermine the existing high standards of practice and public protection by optometrists’.

In its statement, the WCO raised three issues in particular: refraction separated from eye health examinations and carried out by dispensing opticians online ordering of contact lenses without a specification and the requirement for PD measurement to be included on prescriptions.

‘By ignoring available evidence about risks to public health and not consulting adequately with the professions involved about public health, preventable visual impairment and risk, the Ministry has put the commercial interests of online retailers ahead of the welfare and health needs of the public that they serve, ultimately putting them at risk of harm,’ the statement said.

The WCO also suggested that a final decision is yet to be made regarding the ‘proposed changes’.

But the BC health minister this week showed little sign of backing down. ‘With advances in technology and more consumers turning to the internet, it makes sense to modernise a decades-old system to give British Columbians more choice while maintaining public safety.’

The BC government has said there is ‘no strong scientific evidence that regular eye health exams for healthy individuals between the ages of 19 and 65 improve health outcomes’.

Speaking at the College of Optometrists’ annual general meeting earlier this month, chief executive Bryony Pawinska voiced the College’s concern about ‘stand-alone refraction’ in BC, which she said had resulted from external commercial pressures. She added that there was similar pressure on the General Optical Council in the UK.

The BC legislation is reported to have been prompted by a court case last year between Vancouver-based internet supplier Coastal Contacts and the College of Opticians of BC.

Authur: Opticianonline -

http://www.opticianonline.net/Home/

United voice for optics is launched- UK

In what was billed as a historic move for eye care in the UK, a new optical confederation has been launched. The move brings together the five representative optical bodies to speak with a stronger united voice for patients, practitioners and the sector as a whole.

The Optical Confederation – The Voice of UK Optics, was launched last week and is committed to greater cohesion and more joint working. It brings together the following bodies for improved unity: the Association of Optometrists, Association of British Dispensing Opticians, the Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians, the Federation of Manufacturing Opticians and the Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers.

At the InterContinental Hotel launch in London last week, David Pickersgill, ACLM chairman said: “This initiative, although it has been informally active for some time, is long overdue. “The benefits this will bring all members are very large, at a time of massive regulation, and massive change, and a large number of bodies to interface with, this is the way to go. “From our point of view, there has never been a better time to be working together, to have one ‘face’ to meet all the challenges ahead.”

John Fried, deputy master of the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers, (SMC) explained why the Confederation has been launched.

Speaking for the SMC as “patriarch of the optical family”, Mr Fried explained that the Confederation was “the most productive way of ensuring that we protect patients’ interests, grow the sector, improve scope of practice and ensure that we are listened to.”

He said that the five bodies all stand for excellence in different parts of the optics family. They would retain their autonomy and leadership roles but the Confederation would provide new opportunities for the profession, for businesses and industry and above all, for patients.

Arthur: Optometry Today – UK. http://www.optometry.co.uk/index.php

Dispensers Board warns about unlicensed dispensing

The New South Wales Optical Dispensers Licensing Board has warned that it will continue to enforce the requirements of the Optical Dispensers Act until it’s repealed in time for deregulation of dispensing in NSW, due to take place next July.

At present a substantial majority of dispensers have not renewed their licences, meaning they could be prosecuted if they d not do so by the end of this month and continue to dispense.

insightnews.com.au

A Backwards Step?

The NSW Government has announced that it will repeal the Optical Dispensers Act 1963 from 1 July 2010, meaning that from that date, persons undertaking optical dispensing in NSW will no longer need to be licensed. The announcement made through a media release from the Optical Dispensers Licensing Board, has elicited condemnation from the Australasian Dispensing Opticians Association (ADOA).

In its own media release in response to the decision, the ADOA said: “The recent decision to deregulate optical dispensing in NSW by the State Government is an unfortunate turn of events for the people of NSW and represents a significant step backwards in the delivery of optical healthcare in this State, and indeed the country as a whole.”

On 11 April this year, the Regulatory Reform Minister, Joe Tripodi, announced the NSW Government’s decision to remove the requirement for licensing for Optical Dispensers in NSW. This decision, he claimed, was based on recommendations of the NSW Better Regulation Office at the conclusion of its review into the licensing of a number of occupations including optical dispensing.

In its media release, the Optical Dispensers Licensing Board said: “The Occupational Licensing Legislation Amendment (Regulatory Reform) Bill introduced into Parliament on 4 June 2009 implements the recommendations of the Better Regulation Office and will pave the way for:

The removal of the licensing requirement for optical dispensers.
The classification of optical dispensers as unregistered health practitioners.

Optical dispensers will be required to meet minimum standards set out in the Code of Conduct for Unregistered Health Professionals which is enforced by the Health Care Complaints Commission.

The amendment of the Health Care Complaints Act 1993 to the Commission to continue to deal with complaints about optical dispensers.

The Better Regulation Office based their recommendations on their finding that there was no net benefit in licensing optical dispensers. In particular the Better Regulation Office found that:

Optical dispensing poses minimal risks to the consumer with most issues being resolved by the consumer. No other State in Australia requires licensing to manage health and safety risks and there is no evidence that consumers outside of NSW have been physically harmed by the absence of licensing. Consumers can be adequately protected without licensing.

The NSW Optical Dispensers Licensing Board advises that until the Optical Dispensers Act 1963 is repealed, persons undertaking optical dispensing duties in NSW will continue to require either a valid License or Approval to Practice issued by the Board. The Board’s inspectors will continue to conduct random inspections of optical dispensing outlets to ensure compliance with its legislation. The Board advises that whilst the Optical Dispensers Act 1963 remains in force, action will continue to be taken against persons practising in breach of the Act.”

But the ADOA begs to differ from the Government’s view, saying: “As countries in the Asia Pacific region move towards a more stridently regulated environment, we find ourselves in Australia moving in a retrograde fashion and are out of step with our neighbours. It is problematic to see that other countries and not our own, view a regulated industry as an environment in which professionalism and ethical practice thrive.

“Unfortunately the effects of these actions will not be felt in the next few years and as such are easily discounted. It takes a degree of foresight to anticipate the loss of qualified dispensing staff that will occur once those dispensers currently within the industry retire. Should the Government advocate the removal of incentives towards training of staff when the replenishment of these skilled dispensers will be far less likely to occur?

“Further to this is the ongoing complaint of the governments of Australia, State and Federal that we are facing a skills shortage. Surely an industry which can address its own skills training and competency, without creating any burden on the Government would be an asset, and not a liability, for the Government and indeed the people of NSW and Australia as a whole.

“Optical dispensing can and will, if properly managed, provide a career path that provides not only optical expertise but skills that can be transported to other sectors of the employment market. It would be clearly remiss of any government to endorse a course of action that will ultimately reduce the level of training and truncate the career path options of an entire section of the Australian employment sector.”

By mivision
August 3, 2009

www.mivision.com.au

Proposed Change to Licensing for Optical Dispensers

Optical Dispensers Licensing Board

Press Release

On 11 April 2009, the Regulatory Reform Minister Joe Tripodi announced the New South Wales Government’s decision to remove the requirement for licensing for Optical Dispensers in NSW. This decision was based on recommendations of the NSW Better Regulation Office at the conclusion of its review into the licensing of a number of occupations including optical dispensing.

The NSW Government intends to repeal the Optical Dispensers Act 1963 on 1 July 2010. Once the Act is repealed, persons undertaking optical dispensing in NSW will no longer need to be licensed.

The Occupational Licensing Legislation Amendment (Regulatory Reform) Bill introduced into Parliament on 4 June 2009 implements the recommendations of the Better Regulation Office and will pave the way for:

• the removal of the licensing requirement for optical dispensers

• the classification of optical dispensers as unregistered health practitioners. Optical dispensers will be required to meet minimum standards set out in the Code of Conduct for Unregistered Health Professionals. The Code of Conduct for Unregistered Health Professionals is enforced by the Health Care Complaints Commission.

• the amendment of the Health Care Complaints Act 1993 to enable the Health Care Complaints Commission to continue to deal with complaints about optical dispensers.

The Better Regulation Office based their recommendations on their finding that there was no net benefit in licensing optical dispensers. In particular the Better Regulation Office found that:

• optical dispensing poses minimal risks to the consumer with most issues being resolved by the consumer.

• no other state in Australia requires licensing to manage health and safety risks and there is no evidence that consumers outside of NSW have been physically harmed by the absence of licensing

• consumers can be adequately protected without licensing

July 2009

Government to Fund Indigenous Eye Health

The Rudd Government has announced it is investing AUD$204.3 million in the 2009-10 Budget to improve health care in Indigenous communities and help close the life expectancy gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

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Deregulation of Optical Dispensers Debacle

The New South Wales Government has become the last State in Australia to deregulate the profession of optical dispensing. The move, announced in April by Joe Tripodi, as Minister for Regulatory Reform, came about despite unanimous submissions from all peak eye care groups in the State advising against the move. As a result of the now Australia-wide deregulation of optical dispensers, there is a concerted move to protect the public by trying to organise self regulation by the industry.

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