“The patient is at the heart”

The importance of patient-centred care was highlighted at a roundtable event hosted by CooperVision and OT on 29 January.

Neil Hilton, of Bennett and Batty Opticians in Liverpool, emphasised his view that practitioners should be offering “all visual opportunities” to patients.

“The patient is our first and foremost interest and we need to be looking after them,” he said.

Discussing contact lens options, Mr Hilton highlighted the impact of increasing computer use and air conditioning on patient lifestyles.

“The requirements of a lens now versus five or 10 years ago are very, very different. I really think we need to be taking that into consideration, especially with digital devices,” he said.

Neil Retallic agreed that tailoring services to patients is key.

“Everyone was in complete agreement that in everything we do, the patient is at the heart,” he shared.

Shakeel Hirani, of Specsavers Lakeside, added: “If you’re not offering contact lenses as part of a sight test, are you giving the best service to your patients?”

For Amanda Moore, from Vision Express Leeds, offering convenience to patients by fitting contact lenses on the same day is a focus.

“I appreciate that we live in an age where everything is at the click of a button but the more you can do for the customer and the more you can wow them on the day is absolutely integral to the contact lens business,” she shared.

Image credit: Laurence Derbyshire