Overview of legal subjects of interest to optometrists and dispensing opticians

Legal topics of general interest to optometrists and dispensing opticians.

Regulation by Act of Parliament or Statutory Instruments can be complex. It does not stand still with new regulations and changes to existing regulation being introduced regularly.

In the past the AOP Members Handbook has included guidance on a number of legal topics. The guidance has often gone out of date, sometimes quite soon after its publication in the Handbook.

We have therefore decided in updating the present edition of the Members Handbook to direct members to internet websites for sources of information for topics which may be of interest to them and which we have previously printed in the Handbook. These websites should be updated when changes in the law necessitate changes to their content, but members are warned that this is not always the case.

A significant advantage of finding information on the internet is that you will often find links to related topics or more detailed explanations, which space would not permit in the Members Handbook.

Members are reminded that it may be necessary to seek legal advice on the specific facts that are in issue. General advice such as will be found on the internet or from other sources may not be pertinent to their case.

AOP members can telephone the AOP or the AOP’s Legal Advice Helpline for advice, or may wish to contact their own solicitor.

The AOP’s Legal Advice Helpline will offer general advice on work-related or other legal matters. More specific action or representation on your behalf should be sought from a solicitor.

Note. Members must contact the AOP in respect of claims or potential claims which are covered by the AOP’s professional indemnity, product liability or legal protection services. The AOP’s specialist in-house team will advise and act on behalf of members in defending such claims speedily and efficiently.

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Website links. The pages in this section of the AOP website give an overview of different legal topics which may affect optometrists and dispensing opticians in practice and outside of work. The website links will allow you to click directly on to other websites with more information on the subject. These websites are usually from organisations offering source materials, and should be updated by them when changes are necessary to the information on their websites.

In providing links to appropriate websites, we have sought to avoid deep-linking. This is the term given to linking to the specific page within a website as opposed to the home page.  Although deep-linking is more convenient for users, as it does not require them to navigate within a website, it can cause problems if a website is rearranged and the page is moved.  In these circumstances the links become ‘broken’. You may therefore have to search a website to find the topic you are seeking.

[January 2007.]