D&A charging for copy of my prescription....

razam

Hi

Apologies for the long story, but I fear that this may be a common practice taken by D&A, and hope that explaining it may prevent people getting caught out.

I used a Dolland & Aitchison Nectar Card free eye-test offer last Friday, I get a lump-sum from my employer for an eye-test & VDU glasses so I try to get it all within that amount, so I end-up not paying anything . So, after the test (after my prescription was entered onto their database), I asked for a copy of my prescription, and to my surprise they asked for £27.50! (btw. it was the store manager that I was dealing with.)

Having worked in a job requiring Data Protection Act (DPA) knowledge, I retorted that If I have to pay, then it would only cost £10 under a DPA request. He said that each company is allowed to decide their own admin costs. I had to correct him and state that he was talking about the Freedom of Information Act(FOI) right, but my personal data is a DPA issue and the DPA has a maximum charge of £10.

Unfortunately I was in a rush & said that I would come back. Before I went back I did a bit of extra research, and found their charge appears to be totally baseless!! I went back yesterday and spoke to an advisor as the manger was not there, and he repeated the claim for £27.50, putting it down to admin charges and said that it was charged because I used a free eye-test offer.

I explained that there was no admin costs incurred as I asked the manager when he had the details infront of him and he just needed to write it down on a piece of paper. Also there was no information about possible costs for prescription requests on the T+Cs of the eye-test offer, so they could not link the free eye test, with my request for my prescription, unless they wanted to breach Trading Standards (that was just a guess on my part). I also explained the DPA & FOI mistake they are making, and that even for computerised medical records the maximum charge is £10!

I then explained that the General Optical Council (the regulatory body in England) states that opticians had a duty to provide prescriptions after an eye-test unless certain exemptions were met (which they wern’t) and in addition to this even D&A’s own website states that prescription will be given if requested, and does not talk about any conditions for that.

The poor guy was speechless and said he would need to speak to his manager and they would call me back today – I’m currently waiting for their call.

I will provide an update as soon as I have it.

I have provided links below to help anyone else who may have the same experience: (I can't add hyperlinks yet so please replace the {dot} with actual ".")

Nectar Card Free Eye-Test Offer
www{dot}danda{dot}co{dot}uk/230309-prosp-fet-500pts-20/

The T+C's of the Nectar Card Free Eye Test

Terms & Conditions:

• Closing date: 17/05/2009
• Special offer available at any Branch of D&A on presentation of this voucher.
• Points will only be allocated within 28 days.
• This voucher can be used with an NHS eye test
• This voucher cannot be used with any other eye test offer.
• Coupon can't be exchanged for cash and or used with any other offer, promotion or coupon.
• Only one voucher per order, which must be surrendered at time of eye test.
• Discount only available to the original email recipient and customers who have not had an eye test with D&A in the last 2 years.
• The Nectar number on the Nectar card should match the number on the voucher.
• Eyewear provided by D&A EyeWear Ltd., Professional Services provided by D&A Professional Services Ltd.
• To process press F8 on the payments screen, and choose the Nectar bonus: SOLUSMAR500ET1
• Nectar Bonus code: 25B0WEB243
• Offer valid until: 17/5/2009

D&A Prescription information
www{dot}danda{dot}co{dot}uk/eye-care/your-prescription/

Optical Council
www{dot}optical{dot}org/goc/filemanager/root/site_assets/legislation/rules_and_regulations/testingexamreg21989.pdf

Data Protection Act info
www{dot}ico{dot}gov{dot}uk/Home/for_the_public/topic_specific_guides/health.aspx

razam

Just an update:

No-one called me, so at 4pm I called them and asked to speak to the advisor I spoke to yesterday or the manager. I was advised the manager was not in today (a courtesy call would have been nice!) and the person I spoke to was with a patient and would call me back. I had to call back 3 times in the next 80 minutes before I managed to speak to him!

He advised that he would post my prescription to me free of charge. When I asked if the policy of charging for pescriptions had changed, he said he would speak with his manager tomorrow and get the matter clarified, but from the information I gave him he would send me my prescription.

Good news for me, but their policy is still vague

Bowling_4_Gold

Hmm... I was given my prescription straight away when I had my test on Saturday... I couldn't believe how much they were charging for glasses! I guess its just dependant on the advisor you get...

sillyvixen

you have your test and are given a copy of your prescription irespective of whether you paid for your test, used a free voucher offer or have an NHS exemption!! as for a £27.50 admin charge for a copy of you prescription as you did not pay for your test - thats insane. i would contact D&A's customer care department rather than the store - i am sure they will agree that this is not company policy and will contact the store on your behalf.

bcl999

I noticed my local Specsavers have a poster up saying £20 off their glasses if you bring in a prescription from another optician. This is in Scotland so had an idea of going to D&A for test and then Specsavers for glasses but I don't want any hassle (or charge) for getting my prescription from D&A.

chou_123

I took advantage of this free offer as well, I asked for my prescription after the test, and they wrote it down for me on a card. The service was great, but they are much pricier than Specsavers, so I'll stick with Specsavers!

chuckley

sounds like they r fed up of MSE'ers using the offer for free points and test and goin to another place for glasses and getting a discount for bringing in own prescription.

HAHAAAAAA like anyone buys glasses at d&a with their over inflated prices!!!!

so2006

D&A still make money from actually doing the eye test lol.

D&A offer like £1.50 if you request a call back on some sites.

wishiwasarichgirl

so2006 wrote: »

D&A still make money from actually doing the eye test lol.

D&A offer like £1.50 if you request a call back on some sites.

nope, they will be losing a shed load of money doing all their tests for free, especially if pxs take their prescription elsewhere, but it still does not change the rule that the MUST give you a copy of your prescription immediately following you sight test.

moggylover

wishiwasarichgirl wrote: »

nope, they will be losing a shed load of money doing all their tests for free, especially if pxs take their prescription elsewhere, but it still does not change the rule that the MUST give you a copy of your prescription immediately following you sight test.

Well, they do have the choice of making the cost of their glasses less exhorbitant:D. If one large chain can get the prices down then so can another and if they loose out often enough then maybe they will.

nedmundo

It depends if you are comparing like for like. I'd imagine that a DeRigo italian designer brand frame such as Police and Nikon lenses would cost them more than own label frames and 'Pentax' lenses.