On-the-ground research announced today by Specsavers Corporate Eyecare shows that Public Sector organisations could be collectively overspending by up to £121million on obligatory eyecare for their staff.
The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations require employers to provide all employees who use visual display units (VDUs), with eye tests, when requested, and glasses, if required.
Whilst this service can be provided for as little as £17 per employee, Specsavers has discovered that poor procurement decisions are resulting in Public Sector organisations typically spending between £50 and £80 per employee, and some as much as £200.
With virtually all jobs now entailing some use of VDUs, multiplied by the 5.764million people employed in the Public Sector, could result in a massive overspend of more than £121million.
Jim Lythgow, director of strategic alliances for Specsavers Corporate Eyecare says:
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“Whilst this is a huge overspend for the Public Sector as a whole it is equally disturbing when you consider that a relatively small Public Sector organisation, employing just 1,000 people, could still be paying more than £21,000 over the odds, just by choosing the wrong eyecare provider.
“It is vital for Public Sector organisations to realise that there are much more cost-effective solutions to the eyecare regulations. Schemes like eyecare vouchers, directed solely at covering the VDU regulations in one package, can often work out to be far less expensive in money, time and effort spent by each Public Sector organisation.”
