The various professional bodies who represent different optical professionals offer guidance on complaints handling processes. For example, The Association of Optometrists issue guidance to optometrists indicating that the practice should resolve a complaint within 8 weeks. The OCCS will consider each complaint separately, but recommend that professionals follow that advice. As a consumer, the OCCS will consider your complaint and assist in starting a dialogue to encourage the optician to provide a response to the complaint raised.

You are welcome to contact the OCCS at any time if you have a query regarding the eye care or service you have received from an optician. If you have a complaint we will ask you to raise this with the practice, and can in certain circumstances help you to do this.
It is important to raise your concerns with the practice as they may be able to resolve the problem with you directly. If the practice will not or cannot resolve the complaint, then it is important that your concerns are clearly explained so there is no confusion or misunderstanding. We therefore recommend that an email or letter of complaint should be sent to the practice. This should include:

• What has happened;
• Why you are dissatisfied;
• How you would like to see the complaint resolved;
• When you expect to hear from the practice (this must be a reasonable period of time).
• We will ask you to send us a copy of the complaint raised and any response from the practice.

If you are unable to prepare a written complaint, we can assist you so please get in touch.

If you are worried that the circumstances of your complaint involve an emergency or a serious risk to your health, then please contact OCCS immediately and we will offer guidance on where to complain or what action you should consider.

If you are worried about your eye health or have noticed any sudden change and your optician is not responding to you, then please consult your GP, another optician or contact NHS 111 immediately.

Yes, please contact us either by calling 0344 800 5071 or complete our online complaint form.

We will need to ask you to provide your written agreement for the practice to discuss your complaint with us in accordance with rules on patient confidentiality. Once we have this, we can then speak to the practice on your behalf and see if matters can be resolved quickly.

Yes, you can take your prescription to another optician and buy glasses from another practice. An optician is obliged to provide you with the written prescription following the eye examination. You are then able to take the prescription to another practice.

By law, the prescription must provide the basic results of the eye examination. There are however other measurements or results which are needed to dispense glasses but these will need to be taken by the ‘dispensing practice’ (practice where you buy the glasses). This can sometimes cause difficulties when purchasing online but the law does not require the examining optometrist to include these details as they may vary depending on the type of frames and lenses selected.

At the OCCS we do find that resolving difficulties and dissatisfaction can be more complex where two practices have been involved.

The College of Optometry has designed a form of words which optometrists may refer to on their prescriptions: ‘You have a right to have your prescription dispensed wherever you choose. However, as prescribing and dispensing of spectacles are closely linked it is best to have your spectacles dispensed where you have your eyes examined. It is often more difficult to resolve any problems you may have with your spectacles when prescribing and supply are separated’.

If the practices are referring you to one another or not listening to your complaint, please contact the OCCS for guidance and we will try to liaise with both practices and help find a resolution.

The Optical Confederation has provided guidance for optical practices which recommends the practice providing the spectacles/lenses should work with the consumer to remedy any issues. The dispensing practice and the prescribing practice (who issued the prescription) may then decide to discuss matters between themselves.

No, this is not always the best way forward.

As glasses or lenses are made for you to your prescription, it is important that the optician has the opportunity to try and fit or adjust the glasses as this may remedy the problem. If you are dissatisfied with your glasses or lenses, then raise this with the practice. You can lodge a formal complaint but initially speak to someone in the practice and ask for their help. There are a variety of reasons why glasses may not be correcting your vision for example, your eyes or your lifestyle may not adapt to a new or different type or manufacturer of lenses, the frames may need adjusting or your prescription may need reviewing. In many situations, the optician will be able to assist and resolve the problem.

If you have asked for help or you feel that you cannot return to the practice for any reason, then it is still important that you raise your concerns and complaint with them. This should be done in writing. If you need particular assistance with this, then please call us on 0344 800 5071.

There may be situations where you urgently need new glasses or lenses. If so, please contact us and we will offer you guidance on the best way to progress your complaint.

Until an optician has agreed to give a refund, there is no guarantee that one will be given by the practice or that a refund is the appropriate solution. It is therefore important that this is established before you spend more money on another pair of spectacles. If you feel that a optician should offer a refund and they are unwilling to do so, then please contact us and we can give you guidance and if necessary mediate your complaint.

The OCCS will investigate a complaint and help those involved reach an agreement. We cannot force either the consumer or the optician to make or accept a proposal, but we will help the parties involved find a fair solution, and this may include a refund where appropriate.

The majority of dissatisfied consumers will speak to the practice or the optician, and the complaint will be resolved. If this does not happen because the optician refuses to listen, then you should:

• Ask for the practice’s complaints procedure, and follow this through to the end
• Ask to speak to a senior member of the management team, either in that practice or at the consumer experience/complaints team for that organisation.
• If you remain dissatisfied, ask the practice for details of their complaint process. If you have following the complaint process, and your complaint is unresolved, then the OCCS can offer complaint mediation to help both parties find a way forward.

No, the OCCS team will speak to each party separately and will only arrange a telephone conversation with the consumer and the optician/practice if this is appropriate and likely to be of help in finding a solution. The consumer and the optician must agree to this.

The OCCS aim to be working with the practice and the consumer to get a solution agreed within 45 days of accepting your complaint. This timescale may be extended if there is a delay in obtaining all the relevant information but we will keep you informed.

The service is free for consumers. The OCCS is funded by the General Optical Council. There is no charge to optical professionals or practices who want advice or guidance on complaints handling and resolution.

You can refer your complaint to the OCCS by:

• Calling us on 0344 800 5071 between 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday
• Completing the full complaint form
• Emailing the OCCS as enquiries@opticalcomplaints.co.uk
• Writing to the OCCS, 6 Market Square, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts, CM23 3UZ

We will need you to give your consent for the optician and practice to release your personal details and records to us. A copy of this form can be downloaded from our Resources section.

We are more than happy to offer members of the optical professions guidance and an opportunity to talk through an issue or a complaint. This helpline is free and may help to resolve a complaint within the practice.

To contact to one of our team:

• Call us on 0344 800 5071 between 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday
• Email the OCCS as enquiries@opticalcomplaints.co.uk
• Write to the OCCS, 6 Market Square, Bishops Stortford, Herts, CM23 3UZ

It is not necessary to get legal advice and you do not need to appoint a solicitor. We will ensure all information is provided in plain English and are here to answer any questions or provide further explanation. As mediators, we cannot give you specific legal advice but we can help you to understand the relevant legal rights and obligations. If we think it is necessary or advisable for you to obtain independent legal advice, or in the case of an optical practice, to refer the matter to your insurers, then we will tell you. You are of course entitled to seek independent legal advice if you wish to do so. We will always communicate directly with you or your personal representative, if you have appointed one as it is not necessary or cost effective for you if we communicate with solicitors.

Either party is able to end the mediation at any time. Mediation is a voluntary process. We do ask both parties to consider carefully at the outset whether they feel mediation is appropriate.

The OCCS is a mediation service. This means we do not make a judgment or give a decision to resolve the complaint. We aim to use mediation to help both parties agree a resolution. If an agreement is found, this is confirmed in writing and provided to both parties so each party knows exactly was agreed and what action they have to take, if any and when.

If the parties agree a resolution, this becomes a binding agreement on the parties, and can be enforced by either party.

We would advise that where the resolution agreed is practical ie replacing the glasses or adjusting the fit of the frame it is unlikely to be ordered by a court and therefore not all agreed resolutions will be enforceable by a court.

The OCCS team are happy to speak to consumers or practices on the telephone initially.
We do have an online complaint form which is the quickest way to submit details to us, and can speed up the initial stages of the mediation. Once we have the initial information and confirm the complaint falls within our remit, the mediation process is generally dealt with on the telephone. Sometimes information will be exchanged by email or letter, but mediation works best when your assigned resolution manager can speak with you and then the other party. We find this is the most effective way of progressing matters.

We will summarise discussions in writing for you when appropriate or necessary, and you will receive written confirmation of the outcome.

In exceptional circumstances we can conduct the mediation process in writing, and we are happy to discuss this with you if you think this would be more appropriate for you.

The OCCS is telephone mediation service. If documents are provided by either party, we will proceed on the basis that these can and will be shared by the Resolution Manager with the other party. This will include optical records.  The discussions and communications within the mediation process are confidential and without prejudice and we can only share these with the express consent of the other party and they must remain confidential. They cannot be used in any further legal proceedings. We do not prepare detailed reports on the mediation discussions, and this is detailed in the Agreement to Mediate you will receive before you enter the OCCS process. During the process, the resolution manager will take the time to explain and set out the other party’s response and ensure you have a clear understanding of this within the mediation process.