Following on from last weeks GOC retention deadline, 203 practitioners have been removed from the optical registers. This number is from those who failed to complete the online registration on time. Those who wish to continue practising must now pay £340 to have their registration restored. Samantha Peters, chief executive and registrar had said, “We’re […]

National sun awareness week starts on 3rd May and provides an opportunity for practitioners to promote eye health issues relating to UV in their local community. It is run by the British Association of Dermatologists to promote the protection of the skin against UV rays. It could also be used by professionals to highlight eye […]

Retail analyst Verdict has predicted that supermarkets offering instore opticians could more than triple their market share in the optical industry this year. Market share could rise to 4.7% in 2011 compared to 1.7% in 2005. Flame Health work alongside several independent opticians and retail multiples and recruit for Specialist Optometrists, Senior Optometrists, Hospital Optometrists, […]

A novel non surgical and removable hearing aid that transmits sound via the teeth to help with single sided deafness has been approved for use in Europe. The Soundbite hearing system is a nearly ‘visible’ digital audio device and relies on a principle called bone conduction that can deliver clear, high quality sound. A small […]

A leading specialist provider of ophthalmic services in the UK has opened a new private eye hospital as part of its continuing nationwide expansion plans. Former presenter of Channel 4’s 10 Years Younger,  Nicky Hambleton-Jones, launched the opening, promoting the message that improving your eyesight can make you look and feel younger and more confident. The […]

Comic Relief has announced sight as a key theme of its celebrity challenge. A 5 day challenge will see celebrities trek 100km across the desert in Northern Kenya. During the trek they will witness the trachoma and cataract work of international charity Sightsavers, which will benefit from money donated to Comic Relief. Flame Health think […]

If funding from the optical profession is secured then a new scheme could be rolled out to highlight optometry as a future career option for 14-17 year olds. Pilots were put in place in 7 schools last year which proved to be a success. The scheme would cost £75,000 to reach around 2,000 schools across […]

The No Smoking Day charity has asked optical professionals for help in emphasising the health concerns to smokers and those who come into contact with smoking. They have asked optical professionals to support their work by ordering free campaign packs to place in their practices. The campaigners also hope that optical professionals can highlight the […]

Flame Health will be again attending Optrafair from 9th – 11th April 2011 at the NEC in Birmingham. Optrafair is the biggest optical showcase of optical business opportunities in the UK. This year Optrafair owners have even opened up more floor space to accommodate a larger number of suppliers who wish to reach out to […]

Recruitment has begun for the first UK trial of a bionic eye which can restore sight to blind people. The microchip implant has been tested in Germany, where it allowed patients to read letters and recognise objects. The chip fits under the retina and works like a digital film camera. A 3mm sq array of […]

GOC retention fees will be reduced and a low income discount introduced for 2011-2012. The annual retention fee will be reduced to £270 for all fully qualified registrants. A low income fee of £170 will be applicable to all registrants earning less than £12,000. These reduced fees will be in place for a minimum of […]

Stay On Track with our New Service Keeping up to date of the latest jobs and exclusive opportunities can be a time consuming and frustrating experience, so if you are tired of visiting the same old job boards and being hounded by unregulated consultants that you don’t want to speak to, then maybe it is […]

The GOC is currently undergoing an internal restructure to ensure that it is best placed to deliver its five year strategic plan. The GOC are determined to give registrants the best value for money, so have looked into whether they are working well together in the smartest way possible. Effective as of yesterday (Monday 15th) […]

A man with an inherited form of blindness has been able to successfully identify letters and objects using a pioneering implant. This implant allows a patient to detect objects with their eyes, unlike a rival approach that uses a camera. The chip works by converting light that enters the eye into electrical impulses which are […]

Flame Health’s Optometry Division are presently working alongside a number of high profile optical clients throughout the UK. We are proud to be working in connection with all of the leading optical companies in the UK, as well as having many exclusive arrangements with smaller independent optical groups and individual optical practices. We have a proven […]