Specsavers, what to do next?

Only thing I didn't like about specsavers was not being made aware that I was entitled to free glasses under PRSI.
This was after self-employed entitlements came in and I was fuzzy about what was available.
I got the free test but was then steered directly to the private frames with no mention of free ones.
I was happy enough with what I got but still I thought it was a little bit clever of them.
 
DannyBoyD said:
Have been doing this for years - zennioptical.com Top quality 1/3 of the cost.
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Thank you!

I had a quick look on their site.
The dropdown menu mentions US and Canada and everything priced in $.
Is it straightforward to order in € and deliver to Ireland.
 
Yep, have done so for years.

This is from my last order with them (2023)

"Thanks for shopping at Zenni! Your order number is Xxxxxxx.

You've chosen Standard Shipping! You can anticipate receiving your order within 15-25 business days, excluding the day of your purchase.

We will send you additional updates about your order as soon as they become available.

You can also track the manufacturing status here."
 
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Inexpensive said:
I got the free test but was then steered directly to the private frames with no mention of free ones
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Did you pay full price for these frames??
Mrs C informs me that if you decide to buy the more expensive pair you can use the value of the free pair as a credit against the cost
It's listed on her receipt from May last year as "Free Health care Frame" -€27.63

I'm sure if this is a recent purchase you could go back and complain that you didn't get this credit
 
Cervelo said:
Did you pay full price for these frames??
Mrs C informs me that if you decide to buy the more expensive pair you can use the value of the free pair as a credit against the cost
It's listed on her receipt from may last year as "Free Health care Frame" €27.63

I'm sure if this is a recent purchase you could go back and complain that you didn't get this credit
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Thanks Cervelo. This is from a few years back and I don't think I have any receipts
Maybe they quoted me a price net of the PRSI payment.
There wasn't any mention of free frames being an option because I'd definitely have looked into those.
I seem to remember it being more a case of what my price range was.
I'm overdue to go back, five years since I was there according to a reminder they sent me, I'll definitely ask to have a look at the free ones this time.
In fairness I was very happy, got two identical pairs and still have one intact which is good going for me.
 
Cervelo said:
Mrs C informs me that if you decide to buy the more expensive pair you can use the value of the free pair as a credit against the cost
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That's correct.
www.gov.ie

Treatment Benefit Scheme

Treatment Benefit may help meet the cost of dental or optical care, hearing aids and hair replacement products. You claim through your dentist, optician, audiologist or hair replacement provider.
www.gov.ie www.gov.ie
Choosing frames

Basic frames are free. If you choose more expensive frames, the department will pay €42 towards the overall cost and you pay the balance.
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Inexpensive said:
Only thing I didn't like about specsavers was not being made aware that I was entitled to free glasses under PRSI.
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Maybe it's just me but I don't think it's really the optician's job to explain the Treatment Benefit Scheme to customers.
www.gov.ie

Treatment Benefit Scheme

Treatment Benefit may help meet the cost of dental or optical care, hearing aids and hair replacement products. You claim through your dentist, optician, audiologist or hair replacement provider.
www.gov.ie www.gov.ie
Having said that, Specsavers do make an attempt on their website.


One Free Pair

Get one free pair of glasses from our €70 range. This includes standard single-vision lenses and a scratch-resistant treatment, but you can also have 1.5 Standard bifocal or 1.5 Standard varifocal lenses at no extra charge.

Any great offer

Instead of using your Medical Card or PRSI entitlement to get free glasses or glasses at a reduced price, you can alternatively use it as part-payment towards any of these great offers (you just pay the difference between your entitlement value and the full price of the offer). Please note that if you choose the ‘top up’ price option, this cannot be used in conjunction with any other Specsavers offer.
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ClubMan said:
Maybe it's just me but I don't think it's really the optician's job to explain the Treatment Benefit Scheme to customers.
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Not informing a patient availing of the scheme, about the availability of totally free frames, a main benefit of the scheme
is likely a breach of their contract and might also be viewed by their governing body as unethical.

Anyway I couldn't swear hand on heart that that's what actually happened.
 
Maybe it has changed, or maybe it varies between shops but I recall a clear division and clear signs showing which were the free frames.
Last time I was determined to stick to the free section…needless to say that didn’t happen. The others were all much nicer. Typical!

Also they suggested various improvements to the lenses… usual upselling. So I spent a fortune. I did take advantage of the get one free offer and got prescription sunglasses.

I did giggle at the idea of not seeing the Free Frames sign in specsavers
 
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ClubMan said:
That's correct.
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Actually you're more correct than me as I read Mrs C's receipt incorrectly
The €27.63 "Free health Care Frame" was just a store credit on the frame price so as it's in the selection of "free frames"
Further down the receipt is the PRSI credits which are €30 for "eye test" and €42.37 for "specs reading",
Which covered the full cost of her glasses and eye test

Seems like maybe I should pay a visit to Specsavers :rolleyes:
 
Inexpensive said:
Not informing a patient availing of the scheme, about the availability of totally free frames, a main benefit of the scheme
is likely a breach of their contract and might also be viewed by their governing body as unethical.
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It isn't!! Not everyone who walks through their door will be eligible. As with the majority of government funded benefits and grants, it's up to the individual to inform themselves of what is available. It would be a little naive to expect a private for profit business to do anything that would reduce their income.
 
Corola said:
It wouldn't be profitable for long when the customer finds out they were charged for something they were entitled to for free. I would take my business elsewhere next time.
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These same customers who fail to claim ~€400 million in tax rebates which they are entitled to each year (of which medical benefits are a large part)?
 
Medical benefit tax rebates aren't applied at source. The optical and dental benefits are claimed by the optician and dentist, not the customer.

And it isn't a tax credit, PRSI is an insurance. If you've paid enough "premium" (contributions) you are entitled to receive the benefit from the treatment providers participating in the scheme. If you made a claim on your home insurance you would expect the insurer to pay and inform you about everything you are covered for.
 
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Leo said:
Not everyone who walks through their door will be eligible.
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That's why they offer to check your eligibility for you.
Having checked and seen what you are entitled to I can't see how they can then avoid telling you what you are entitled to.
 
Leo said:
Sales people have no obligation to ensure you get the best deal possible.
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Opticians are medical professionals, not sales people.

They have to practice in accordance with the Optical Registration Board's code:

Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics for Dispensing Opticians

This documents lays out their duties and responsibilities , one of which is the following:

26. Make sure that any advertising is truthful, accurate, lawful and
not misleading.


FODO (Federation of Ophthalmic and dispensing opticians) have suggested some changes to the Code,
that they "believe are necessary to improve the already strong documents and to make them more relevant to registered optics
professionals".

One of the changes that they propose is the addition of the following text to the responsibility quoted above:

ensure that patients are aware of all options
including entitlements to free care under state
schemes


 
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Inexpensive said:
Opticians are medical professionals, not sales people.
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Yeah, but while it is the optometrist who performs the tests, it's usually, particularly in the bigger stores, an 'optical assistant' who deals with everything else. Specsavers will tell you they are best for that role as they receive specialist training on identifying frames that best suit your face, but they are salespeople and not medical practitioners bound by any code of practice.

Would have been good if you had done that research showing the governing body are considering making it a requirement that they outline entitlement to benefits before you claimed they were likely breaching contract!
 
Leo said:
Yeah, but while it is the optometrist who performs the tests, it's usually, particularly in the bigger stores, an 'optical assistant' who deals with everything else. Specsavers will tell you they are best for that role as they receive specialist training on identifying frames that best suit your face, but they are salespeople and not medical practitioners bound by any code of practice.
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You cannot evade your responsibilities under a contract by passing a task off to an employee.
Not to mention that the professional Code explicitly mentions the requirement to "17. Supervise tasks that you delegate to others"

Leo said:
Would have been good if you had done that research showing the governing body are considering making it a requirement that they outline entitlement to benefits before you claimed they were likely breaching contract!
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It's not the Governing body making that suggestion, it's a representative body.

It's a suggestion to make explicit in the regulations a duty that any lawyer would say already existed.

The Optician is the Public's point of access to the Government Scheme (the gatekeeper) and having signed up to it is bound to implement rather than frustrate its intent by failing to inform the patient.

Such a failure also defeats the Professional ethical duty to get patients' "informed" consent.
A pattern of such failure could well lead to suspension from the Register or even erasure.

The vast majority of professionals would understand this right away but it is possible that some (not being lawyers after all) might not and those would benefit from having it spelled out to them.
 
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