FODO member update – 30 October

This week: 

• Government advises on subscription contracts  

• UK extends recognition of CE marking 

• RAC draws attention to headlight glare   

• Smart glasses 

• At a glance 

• Health policy news 

Government advises on subscription contracts

The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade has published draft guidance on new subscription contract rules, alongside secondary legislation, which it has laid before the UK Parliament.  

The rules take effect from 1 January 2027 and will apply to optical appliances and services supplied via subscription (including contact lenses and spectacles).  

They will require businesses to: 

• Provide clear information to consumers so they understand the terms before they enter a subscription contract.  

• Provide reminder notices at key points – for example, every six months for a rolling weekly or monthly contract. 

• Allow consumers to cancel contracts at key points – for example, during a 14-day cooling-off period when entering into a contract. 

 FODO is working with sector partners to develop guidance on the new rules. 

UK extends recognition of CE marking 

The government has confirmed it will continue to accept CE (Conformité Européenne) marked medical devices long-term, removing the need for UK devices to require additional approval.  

The Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI), MedTech Europe and the British In Vitro Diagnostics Association (BIVDA), said in a statement the move would put the UK on a more competitive international footing.  

The group said: “Continued regulatory cooperation between the UK and the EU will remain essential to ensuring patients, public, and healthcare professionals have a more resilient supply of safe and effective medical technologies.” 

RAC draws attention to headlight glare 

The RAC used the clocks going back last weekend to remind road users about the hazards of headlight glare, which can be worse in modern cars with LED lighting systems, particularly if they are incorrectly angled. 

As many as 83% of drivers are concerned about how glare will affect their driving as darkness falls. Three-quarters of those affected by glare (76%) also think the problem is getting progressively worse, according to RAC research.  

Discomfort and feeling less safe behind the wheel are drivers’ main concerns, causing some to drive less in the winter or stop driving altogether.  

Read more.  

Smart glasses 

Reform MS Jason O’Connell’s use of his AI glasses’ built-in autocue function while speaking in the Welsh parliament has prompted calls for restrictions on the technology. Concerns focus on privacy and the implications of AI-enabled glasses in environments where people discuss sensitive information, though no one suggests that Mr O’Connell was recording. 

Read more in Clarity.

At a glance: 

• Optometry Northern Ireland has produced a short film highlighting the role of community optometry in early diagnosis and prevention, including patients whose eye examinations identified serious eye and broader health conditions. 

• The pharmaceutical company MSD has funded a report calling for a national framework for eye care. A roundtable of patients, clinicians and charity representatives informed A Vision for Change: Making the case for an Eye Health Modern Service Framework. Read more.  

• The APPG on Eye Health and Visual Impairment has published Accessible Healthcare in a Digital NHS, covering accessibility and the NHS app. 

• The Royal College of Ophthalmologists has announced the Duke of Gloucester as its new patron. He will support its work in education, standards, research and patient care. 

• Early registration is open for the 6th World Congress of Optometry in Riyadh from 2–4 April 2027. It will be the first World Congress of Optometry held in the Eastern Mediterranean region. 

• The Annual Wales Eyecare Conference on 10 November is fully booked, but a waiting list is available.  

• Mainline Optical has appointed Gavin Miller as commercial manager, with nationwide responsibility for sales development across its eyewear portfolio, ABDO reports. 

• The British Contact Lens Association is holding an online webinar on oculomics on 3 November. Find out more. 

• The National Institute for Health and Care Research has awarded King’s College researchers £2.2 million to develop a flexible surgical robot for delivering vision-restoring therapies into the eye. Read more. 

• Birmingham City University has secured funding from Innovate UK for a project using AI and retinal imaging to support eye disease screening and detection, Optician reports. 

• Deafblind UK seeks volunteers for a new 20km fundraising walk across 14 London bridges in June next year. It will be accessible to people with sight and/or hearing loss. 

• The King’s Fund has analysed what the autumn Budget means for the NHS, health and adult social care, including £190 million of new winter funding in England. 

Health policy news: 

Healey extends small business rates relief 

In the autumn Budget this week, the chancellor John Healey confirmed plans to increase Small Business Rate Relief for smaller high street businesses in England. This will raise the threshold for 100% relief from £12,000 to £18,000 in rateable value for qualifying retail, hospitality and leisure premises, with tapered relief extending to £21,000. The change is due to take effect from 1 April 2027. 

Mr Healey said the change would take an additional 70,000 businesses out of business rates altogether. Other businesses would have their rates frozen in real terms for two years, he added.  

Read more about the autumn Budget. 

Health on the high street 

High streets can provide the physical and civic infrastructure for more preventative, community-based care, according to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Its report, Hope on the High Street, emphasises that thriving high streets are about more than the economy. They are community focal points that support public health.  

The report says: “High streets have long been home to services such as pharmacies, dentists and opticians. Through Pharmacy First, expanded dental access and wider NHS reforms, more people will be able to access care closer to where they live, work and shop.” 

Michael Guthrie, FODO’s director of policy and regulation, said: “We welcome the recognition of the important role opticians’ practices play in providing patients with access to high-quality care at the heart of their local communities.” 

Consultants vote for strike action 

Senior doctors in England are planning to strike for two days next month, says the British Medical Association (BMA). Consultants will walk out on 25-26 November, after the union accused the government of ignoring concerns about their workload and general wellbeing.  

The BMA wants health secretary Yvette Cooper to commit to formal negotiations on pay and working conditions. Ms Cooper said she was disappointed and that a strike, as the NHS was preparing for winter, would be irresponsible.  

Healthwatch 

The Department of Health and Social Care has announced it no longer plans to abolish the patient champion Healthwatch. Yvette Cooper, the health secretary, told The Guardian that patients “need a voice in our NHS”. 

MPs from across political parties had criticised the decision to wind up Healthwatch England and its 150 branches, which collect and analyse responses to patient surveys to help hold the NHS to account.