Association of British Dispensing Opticians
Encyclopedia
The Association of British Dispensing Opticians is the main professional association for opticians in the UK.
. Since the 1989 Medicines Act, eye test
s are not free.
It was formed in 1986 from the merger of the Association of Dispensing Opticians and the Faculty of Dispensing Opticians in the Health and Social Security Act 1984.
The General Optical Council
was formed by the Opticians Act 1958, to make the British optician profession statutorily protected.
, to the west, and London Paddington station, to the east. It is opposite the Hallfield Estate
.
The ABDO College was established in Godmersham
, Kent, in 2001, on the A28
. Also based at the ABDO's headquarters are the Federation of Manufacturing Opticians and Federation of Ophthalmic & Dispensing Opticians. It has a publishing division at Crowborough
in East Sussex
.
History
Opticians, like dentists or pharmacists, are one part of the British health service not covered by the NHSNational Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
. Since the 1989 Medicines Act, eye test
Eye examination
An eye examination is a battery of tests performed by an ophthalmologist, optometrist, or orthoptist assessing vision and ability to focus on and discern objects, as well as other tests and examinations pertaining to the eyes....
s are not free.
It was formed in 1986 from the merger of the Association of Dispensing Opticians and the Faculty of Dispensing Opticians in the Health and Social Security Act 1984.
The General Optical Council
General Optical Council
The General Optical Council is an organisation in the United Kingdom which was set up by the Opticians Act 1958 to maintain a register of opticians and to uphold the Act. Its purpose is to regulate the services provided by opticians and optometrists...
was formed by the Opticians Act 1958, to make the British optician profession statutorily protected.
Structure
It is situated off Bishops Bridge Road (A4206), between Royal Oak tube stationRoyal Oak tube station
Royal Oak tube station is a station of the London Underground, on the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines, between and stations. The station is on Lord Hills Bridge and is in Travelcard Zone 2 for the London Underground. Although not heavily used at other times, the station is extremely busy...
, to the west, and London Paddington station, to the east. It is opposite the Hallfield Estate
Hallfield Estate
The Hallfield Estate is one of several modernist housing projects in London designed in the immediate post-war period by the Tecton architecture practice, led by Berthold Lubetkin. Following the dissolution of Tecton, the project was realised by Denys Lasdun and Lindsay Drake in the 1950s...
.
The ABDO College was established in Godmersham
Godmersham
Godmersham is a village and civil parish in the Ashford District of Kent, England. The village is located on the Great Stour river where it cuts through the North Downs...
, Kent, in 2001, on the A28
A28 road
The A28 is a trunk road in southern England. It runs south-west from the seaside resort of Margate in Kent via Westgate and Birchington, reaching open countryside at Sarre. The road continues via Upstreet and Hersden to Sturry, and on to the cathedral city of Canterbury...
. Also based at the ABDO's headquarters are the Federation of Manufacturing Opticians and Federation of Ophthalmic & Dispensing Opticians. It has a publishing division at Crowborough
Crowborough
The highest point in the town is 242 metres above sea level. This summit is the highest point of the High Weald and second highest point in East Sussex . Its relative height is 159 m, meaning Crowborough qualifies as one of England's Marilyns...
in East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
.
Optician training in the UK
Training to become an optician is only available at a few British universities.- Anglia Polytechnic University
- Aston UniversityAston UniversityAston University is a "plate glass" campus university situated at Gosta Green, in the city centre of Birmingham, England.Established in 1895 as the Birmingham Municipal Technical School, Aston was granted its Royal Charter as Aston University on 22 April 1966...
- University of BradfordUniversity of BradfordThe University of Bradford is a British university located in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The University received its Royal Charter in 1966, making it the 40th University to be created in Britain, but its origins date back to the early 1800s...
- City University London
- Glasgow Caledonian UniversityGlasgow Caledonian UniversityGlasgow Caledonian University is a public university in Glasgow, Scotland.The university was constituted by an Act of Parliament on 1 April 1993 as a result of a merger between Glasgow Polytechnic and The Queen's College, Glasgow....
- University of ManchesterUniversity of ManchesterThe University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
Function
It represents the interests at a national level of British dispensing opticians.See also
- Association of Optometrists
- Association of Contact Lens Manufacturers
- College of OptometristsCollege of OptometristsThe College of Optometrists is the professional, scientific and examining body for optometry in the United Kingdom, working for the public benefit.-History:...
- The Institute of OptometryThe Institute of OptometryThe Institute of Optometry is one of the United Kingdom's leading centres for optometry, based in south London, England. It was established in 1922 as the London Refraction Hospital.-History:...