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8
At a Conference of Medical Officers of Health held recently,
the flat rate contract price at which our spectacles are supplied was
somewhat severely criticised by representatives of other Authorities
some of whom quoted prices as low at 1/6 per pair, against our
flat rate of 4/6 for all types of lenses with nickel frames. In view
of this criticism it was imperative to look into these prices closely
to see if our prices could not be improved. The facts that emerged
from the enquiry are interesting and illuminating.
All the contracts with these very cheap prices are given to
local opticians who attend the Clinics to measure the children for
spectacles prescribed by the Ophthalmic Surgeon. The contracts
are on sliding scales, the prices rising as the defect of vision
increases : The rise taking place with simple spheres as the diopters
of correction increase, but with a still further rise in cases where a
cylinder has to be added to correct any astigmatism.
It is interesting to see how this bait of the very cheap simple
sphere works in practice.
Take for example the spectacles prescribed in this area during
1930—
Spheres of all grades 20.5%
Spheres and cylinders 77.5%
Cylinders alone 2.0%
i.e., over 2/3rds of the cases are amongst the higher priced lenses,
and most of the prices for this class of spectacle in the other
districts approach double the flat rate price we pay.
Then again, it is interesting to see how these contracts work
out on the profit making side to the local opticians who attend
Clinics.
The following percentages show the various classes of frames
supplied in my area in 1930: —
Nickel at 4/6 (including lenses) 77.5%
Rolled Gold at 8/- ,, ,, 16.7%
Rolled Gold and Shellite rims at 9/6 ,, ,, 5.6%
Contrast with this the figures from two districts: —
District 1.
Nickel under 2/- per pair 29%
Rolled gold 12/6 per pair 19.4%
Rolled gold and Shellite rims. 15/- per pair 42.0%
17/6 per pair 3.2%
21/- per pair 3.2%
*25/- per pair 3.2%