Happy New Year from Opchat News

Opchat News wishes you all a Happy and Successful New Year

For all of us,  families and businesses this has not been a great year and although there are still hurdles ahead we believe our sector (Optics UK) is well placed to not only survive but also prosper.

UK Optical Primary Care is the best in the world and that is agreed by the overwhelming number of our returning patients. That support only comes from the excellent service we provide daily.

Despite the ridiculous under payments by Government both towards our patients and our service Optics UK will continue to support those with visual and social needs.

Soon on the scene at the end of February will be 100% Optical at London’s Excel supported by a strong and cohesive Optical Suppliers Association, one of our Headline Partners. Opchat News will again be personally presenting key speakers at this event on the OSA stand. We like to bring in person to 100% delegates those people who have made news on Opchat News in 2022.

We also thank all the Optical Bodies membership groups and those making the news for sending us vital feedback on the whole sector. Special thanks to FODO and the NCHA who also became our Headline Partners this year.

We write the news as it arrives with a total independent slant allowing you to read when and as you prefer on PC, notepad or mobile wherever you are and following our successful re brand in 2022 are pleased to announce even more new functions in 2023 having moved to a better equipped hosting service with a new development team.

We couldn’t do any of this without the support and advertising of our partners in the industry and we thank them for their continued support.

This will also bring the newly developed public education site www.mylocaloptician.co.uk sooner than expected online replacing the much loved old site with far greater technology and superior SEO. In the past it has received over 1000 visits in a day from people looking for Optical Practices and finding out about eyecare and eyewear. The new site will encourage we hope even more members of the public to read about the latest designs and technology and the support that we can provide. We will let you know its launch date and then you will need to check your practice details held in the “Find My Optician App”

Finally from our owner and editor, Bob Hutchinson a wish for a Happy New Year to you all.

“With the new faster websites allowing greater opportunities 2023 looks like being an exciting if not challenging year. But that’s what keeps us all motivated, even myself after all these years working for the good of Optics and of course the public, its stakeholders.

Once again i have been called to further challenges at the Royal Soc. of Medicine to become the President of the General Practice with Primary Health Care section for a second time in October 2023, 6 years after my first tenancy.

I can assure you that my RSM Council hears about Optics UK regularly and I would love to see some optical faces both at events and on my Council. So that might just be another New Years Resolution for some of you!!  

One simple resolution would be to tell your colleagues about Opchat News and widen our readership still further we would really like to break our 7000 readership levels in 2023.”