Local Optical Committees are statutory bodies established within the British

National Health Service The National Health Service (NHS) is the term for the publicly funded health care, publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom: the National Health Service (England), NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, and Health and Social Care (Northern ...

to represent the interests of community optometrists and opticians. There are 78 Local Optical Committees in England. They are supported by the Local Optical Committee Support Unit which provides a link to the national bodies the

Association of British Dispensing Opticians The Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) is the main professional association for opticians in the UK. History ABDO was formed in 1986 from the merger of the Association of Dispensing Opticians and the Faculty of Dispensing Optici ...

, the

Association of Optometrists The Association of Optometrists (AOP) is the leading representative membership organisation for optometrists in the United Kingdom. It supports over 82% of practising optometrists (members) to fulfil their professional roles to protect the nati ...

and the Federation of (Ophthalmic and Dispensing) Opticians. The local committees are descended from the Ophthalmic Services Committees established by clause 41 of the

National Health Service Act 1946 The National Health Service Act 1946 ( 9 & 10 Geo. 6. c. 81) came into effect on 5 July 1948 and created the National Health Service in England and Wales thus being the first implementation of the Beveridge model. Though the title 'National Hea ...

. A Joint Council of Qualified Opticians was established as part of the National Health Insurance Scheme in 1923. The Ophthalmic Benefit Approved Committee was established in 1927. Optical committee leaders hold an annual National Optical Conference.

References

loc Medical associations based in the United Kingdom Eye care in the United Kingdom {{NHS-stub