Optical Consumer
Complaints Service (OCCS)
Summer 2015
In May 2015, Richard Edwards and I presented an overview of
the Optical Consumer Complaints Service activity for 2014-15 at
the public meeting of the GOC. This marked the end of Nockolds’
first year of providing the OCCS to mediate the consumer
complaints in optics across the UK. We are incredibly proud of the
OCCS activity over the past year and very much look forward to
continuing in 2015-16 and beyond.
Importantly, we are now looking to share our understanding of why
consumers become frustrated or concerned to help improve consumer
experience when they visit their optician by highlighting commonly
arising issues. We can then look at how these problems can be avoided
in the future.
There are two overwhelming messages that come across from our
work in 2014-15:
2. T
hat said; we must still learn from the complaints which do
arise. Communication and trust are at the heart of the optician/
consumer relationship. The common factor in the majority of
enquiries mediated by the OCCS is the breakdown of that trust and
confidence. 99% of concerns with a prescription or product can be
resolved if the consumer trusts the practice to put things right and
act in their best interest. When that trust is damaged in any way,
complaints escalate. When they become emotionally charged, an
independent third party can keep communication constuctive and
find a practical solution to allow the consumer to move on, as well
as allowing the practitioner to focus on providing quality eyecare
and run their business.
For an overview of consumer complaint in optics, please download
Customer Care at the Heart of Optics which provides an easily
digestible overview.
1. W
ith over 21 million sight tests in the UK per year, most consumers
leave the opticians satisfied and feeling valued with their vision
improved to the best it can be. The number of consumer complaints
is incredibly low given the nature of the relationship. A visit to
the optician involves a medical assessment, often leading to the
purchase of a product which is entirely bespoke to the consumer
from an almost infinite number of options, which may also include
NHS eligibility assessments all regulated and governed by The
Opticians Act and The General Optical Council. Optical healthcare
can be a hotbed potential for confusion and concern leading to
complaints. To hear that most consumers and practitioners have a
positive relationship is very encouraging.
Contact OCCS on:
0344 800 5071
www.opticalcomplaints.co.uk
Attend our CET events:
ABDO Conference: 20-21 Sep 15
SCLOSS Conference: 29 Nov 15
Jennie Jones
OCCS
Interested in CET complaint insight
and resolution for your business or
organisation? Email us.
Service provided by
Nockolds Solicitors
Life at the OCCS is Never Dull!
I have been a resolution manager at the OCCS since 1 April 2014,
when Nockolds took over the service. Along with my colleagues, I
am here to assist with optical complaints between 8am until 6pm,
Monday to Friday. On arriving at 8am, we will often have received
several emails from people expressing their concerns at 3am in
the morning.
Once a complaints form is received and processed on our system, we
then obtain the consumer’s original consent. A copy of this is then
sent to the Practitioner explaining who we are and what we do. At
this stage, quite a lot of our time is spent speaking to practices to
obtain information about what has gone from their perspective,
exploring the common ground to try and move forward.
Our priority is to deal with any emails or telephone messages as
quickly and fairly as possible. We are a free and independent service
for consumers and practitioners across the UK.
Once we have both sides of the story, we will look in depth at the
situation, and get everyone involved to focus on finding a solution
they can both live with. If this is not forthcoming, we will make a
suggestion based on what we have heard and seen. This is often
effective and means both sides can agree on a resolution.
Often a frustrated consumer or practitioner expects a response to
their worries the same day, so most of the morning is spent sorting
out queries. All complaints are logged so we can analyse the bigger
picture and look for trends in complaints, who complains and why they
are complaining. We ask people for their surname and postcode at the
very least. Some are reluctant to give this, saying, “But I am not really
complaining”. We do receive a lot of general enquiries about what a
consumer can expect from their optician (these often include queries
about GOS and the NHS scheme). A number of consumers want to
talk through what has happened and understand if they are being
reasonable in expecting or asking for a particular feature. Others are
frustrated and highly emotional when they first contact us and the
relationship with the practice is so strained that all communication
inflames the situation.
Complaints range from consumers who have been passed between
practices and fall between the two, varifocal tolerance problems
through to consumers who have lost a screw from the arm of their
frames and object to paying £1 for a replacement and requests for
compensation for £5,000 for hurt feelings.
Explaining that the OCCS mediate consumer complaints, and cannot
order a practice to pay compensation may be met with either stunned
silence, or “what are you there for then?” I explain that as mediators,
we try and help find a resolution to the complaint by listening and
liaising with both parties to look for practical ways to solve the
problem.
We are very clear where our role fits within the world of optics. Any
‘fitness to practise (FTP)’ issues will be referred to The General Optical
Council once we have reviewed them here as a team and discussed
anonymously with one of our clinical advisors. In these situations, we
do try and deal with consumer issues, such as refunds for glasses as
the FTP process is not there to deal with the consumer’s individual
problem with their test, prescription or product.
As you will suspect, things are not always that simple, and both sides
will revert to ‘he said, she said’ arguments. A lot of the day can be
spent trying to help people feel listened to, their point of view has
been acknowledged so they can move forward toa point where an
agreement is possible.
Sometimes neither side will budge and we may have to conclude our
efforts. These are few and far between but as mediators we have to
accept that both parties have to be willing resolve a complaint for a
solution to be found. When an agreement is reached, there is much
relief for all concerned. Job satisfaction comes from this and from the
feedback forms, sent to both parties when complaints are resolved/
finished. The form is concise, in three parts and both consumers and
practitioners are asked to complete these. It is very satisfying to hear
positive feedback from both sides of the consulting room! Most are
complementary (to us, at any rate), and we sometimes get thank you
notes and cards too. All in all, I find helping others is worthwhile. Even
though we cannot turn the clock back or wipe away the hurt feelings,
we can help those involved to move forward, hopefully with the best
vision possible and doing what we can to maintain confidence in
optical professionals.
Lorraine Harvey
OCCS