13 February 2026

FODO member update – 13 February

This week:

• Vision and driving updates
• GOC looking for research participants
• Help with road safety campaign in Wales
• National Apprenticeship Week
• Webinar explains urgency behind employee rights changes
• At a glance
• Health policy news

Vision and driving updates

Following our update of 9 January, many member companies have contacted us about the government's proposals for mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers. We also continue to work with sector partners to reach a cross-sector consensus. If you would like to help shape FODO's response, please send your feedback to [email protected] by 16 March.
 
In other driving news, the latest RAC research shows more people than ever are avoiding driving at night due to fears about headlight glare. Read more. 

GOC looking for research participants

The GOC is seeking optical professionals - particularly those who own optical businesses or practice managers - to take part in interviews as part of its thematic review on commercial practices and patient safety.
 
Participants will receive £70 (payable to the individual or a charity) for a 50-minute interview. All responses will be anonymised. Anyone interested should complete an expression of interest form by 19 February, and Shift Insight may contact you to arrange an interview. 

Help with road safety campaign in Wales

The police are working with optometrists across Wales to deliver roadside vision checks, raise awareness of the importance of regular eye examinations, and take photographs to support a national social media awareness campaign.
 
If you are interested in taking part, please email [email protected]. ROCs will support participation by making a financial contribution for time spent out of practice during half-day sessions. These will take place in South-East Wales in February and March. 

National Apprenticeship Week

The optical sector has been celebrating the value of apprenticeship training this
National Apprenticeship Week (9-15 February) by highlighting the benefits of work-based training for businesses and employees.
 
ABDO marked the week by encouraging optical practices to "build your workforce" through its dispensing optician apprenticeships. Read more in Clarity about the experiences of optical assistant apprentices at Asda and Specsavers. 

Webinar explains urgency behind employee rights changes

The Healthcare Regulatory team for FODO at independent law firm Clyde & Co are hosting a webinar explaining why employers should act now to prepare for unfair dismissal changes under the Employment Rights Act 2025.
 
The Act received Royal Assent in late 2025 and proposes two significant changes to unfair dismissal law. Employers should act now, as anyone hired by 1 July 2026 gains unfair-dismissal protection from 1 January 2027. The changes will remove the compensation cap, greatly increasing financial risk for today's decisions.
 
Read more and register for the webinar. 

At a glance

• Optometry Scotland pays tribute to former cabinet secretary Jeane Freeman, who has died aged 72, for helping to progress community optometry in Scotland.
• Worknest, our employment and H&S partner, is running a free webinar on health and safety on 26 February at 2pm. Register here.
• Booking is open for the College of Optometrists conference Optometry Tomorrow, on 14 and 15 June at the Harrogate Convention Centre. 
• ABDO has appointed Chris McConnell as the new regional lead for Northern Ireland, succeeding Steven Harding. Read more
• OptikosPrime, a Copenhagen-based company, has developed a new smartphone app it says can perform accurate, high-quality refraction without the need for an optometrist, reports online magazine ITBrief.
• Glasgow Caledonian University has awarded Michael O'Kane, optometrist and director of three Edinburgh Specsavers businesses, its Alumni of the Year award.
• NuVision Biotherapies secures £4.8 million investment to expand its treatments for ocular trauma. Read more in Clarity.

Health policy news

Concerns over Welsh ophthalmology investment
 
The Royal College of Ophthalmologists has criticised the Welsh government's response to an inquiry from the Health and Social Care Committee, which made 17 recommendations for improving ophthalmology in Wales.
 
The College, which welcomed the inquiry's findings, said it was disappointed that the government had decided not to "commit to a programme of investment specifically for ophthalmology services which mirrors the scale and sustainability of investment made in primary care optometry", instead deferring the decision to after the May 2025 elections pending a "baseline assessment of current investment". Read more
 
NHS online hospital requires careful triaging
 
An HSJ article warns that government plans for an NHS "online hospital" could pose safety risks if it does not fully consider the advantages of in-person care. Eye care, in which glaucoma and macular degeneration rely on physical examinations, scans and pressure checks, is one such area.
 
The article notes that while online services could improve access and speed, developers must carefully design them to protect quality, avoid widening inequalities, and ensure patients can quickly access face-to-face eye care when needed. Read more