The College of Optometrists

Anyone remember Ken Clarke? In the late 70's he was Minister for Health and was a seriously "bad guy" - responsible for the "breakdown of the NHS", particularly in relation to Ophthalmic Services. It was rumoured even his own daughter, a NHS nurse wouldn't speak to him. Funny how things change for who is now an affable "man of the people" Anyone remember the 924, the "Kenneth Clarke Memorial Spectacle Frame" - still a few around, available in Chestnut,Autumn Leaf, Tan T/Tone & Lilac T/Tone & a RANGE OF SIZES! The last true NHS spectacles before the advent of the voucher.

Sometimes I wish that life were still that simple

no chestnut or autumn leaf or even crystal that was the 524 i think Ahhh happy days when we got paid for cases

Just got it, I thought at first you meant CASES (patients) not spectacle cases which had a column in the pricing. There was also pre 1973 a strange tax called purchase tax. Spectacle cases carried purchase tax, which was reclaimed in this column, but not spectacle frames or lenses. It's of course much simpler now with VAT - exemption, partial exemption, zero rated, de minimus ???!!!!

Remember hybrids? NHS lenses into a private frame? (but only up to a 65 mm blank??

Happy days?

The strangest thing I remember about the 924 (which I thought was a ladies frame) was seeing a bloke in Coronation Street wearing a pair in the dark brown(chestnut I presume )colour.

If I remember wasn't it only glass lenses available on the NHS?

Or was there a plastic bif available too?

Was it 70's? I arrived in the UK in 1987 and I thought I was outraged at some point by something he said with reference to the NHS ophthalmic services which was a blatant lie! I cannot remember what it was but remember being incensed at the time and, though always suspicious, it being confirmed that you cannot trust politicians.

Plastic round 24 bifs were available for the princely sum of £18.40 to the patient. Add a 524 at £2.05 and a complete pair of bifs cost less than £20.50. When the NHS subsidy was removed for everyone that didn't get help the increase for bifocal wearers was eye watering and took some explaining, but at least we could use D segs, and we stopped dispensing heavy glass bifocals.

It was in 1988 that Clarke initiated a partial "privatisation" of the eye exam. He was castigated by everyone except yours truly who had 2000 words of support in the Daily Telegraph October 18th 1988 and was quoted in Hansard. That "freedom" was spurned by those who then just as now sit on their hind legs and beg for tit bits from some NHS group or another.