General Chat

“Dr Hilary Jones revealed he was sent ‘vile messages’ from trolls on social media, following news he has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.”

Deserved methinks - the trolls and vile messages that is, not his MBE

Hilary Jones has cashed in on the pandemic, repeatedly presenting himself as the UK's medical expert on all things Covid related, delivering his advice in a way that might suggest to the general public that he is on the government payroll, consulting with Professor Chris Whitty, instead of sourcing his info from Google and TV news!

Martin Lewis also deserves contempt: 'Congratulations to my friend Dr Hilary Jones on his MBE. Much deserved by him and all the other medics and Covid heroes in the list.’

Dr Hilary Jones has been nowhere near the front line of this pandemic at any time - but he has shown people how to wear a face mask correctly (ffs!), and advised TV presenter Kate Garraway to call an ambulance when her husband fell ill with coronavirus, so perhaps that qualifies him as a hero in Martin Lewis’ world!

And although I am unable to find any record of his having worked as a GP this century, Hilary Jones apparently practices 'aesthetic medicine’ - cosmetic surgery, which is NOT medicine.


patient.info/authors/dr-hilary-jones

Coincidentally, listed under his General Medical Council (GMC) registration, the revalidation officer for Dr Hilary Robert Jones is Dr Philip Dobson at British College of Aesthetic Medicine BCAM.
www.gmc-uk.org/doctors/2298102

'BCAM is a Designated Body under the regulations and for members who do not have a prescribed connection to another Designated Body with a higher position in the regulation’s hierarchy BCAM is able to manage their revalidation and appraisal. Full Members and Associate Members with an appropriate prescribed connection can connect to BCAM as their Designated Body.
Doctors who use the Revalidation service are required to pay annual appraisal and revalidation fees...'
bcam.ac.uk/appraisal-and-revalidation

For the last four years Dr Hilary Jones has been lucratively paid to promote Optical Express (some of you will have watched the Judas goat’s consent video before giving your eyes to OE’s chopping block), giving the impression that he had his eyes operated on at Optical Express.*



Hilary had 'blended laser eye surgery’ at London Vision Clinic (by Dr Dan Reinstein, who made a fool of himself on This Morning, posted 18 Oct 2019), yet all YouTube videos and anything connecting him to LVC - gone!



We exchanged emails in 2013, when I criticised Hilary for his unfettered advertising of laser eye surgery, providing him with plenty of information, and his reply included: 'I take on board your comments and totally understand your desire to give the public reliable information.’

(Search 'Hilary Jones’ on tabs above to read more of our correspondence.)

26 February 2017, I wrote to Hilary again...

'I am very concerned to hear that you recently recorded the new 'informed consent video' for Optical Express. [replacing Dr Steven Schallhorn following his defection to Zeiss]

Firstly, is this ethical given that your surgery was performed by Reinstein?

Secondly, have you not read the many press reports about Optical Express, and countless horror stories on #OERML website forum? All true and just the tip of the iceberg!

Are you aware that Optical Express now refuse aftercare to damaged patients after 12 months - not even providing badly needed eye drops?

Are you aware that it is costing nhs.uk £millions to provide aftercare and reparative operations (when possible) to many thousands of people damaged by Optical Express? As a practising GP (according to Wikipedia) surely this must be of concern to you.

You say on your website, "I’ve always believed people should discover and learn as much as they possibly can about themselves and about their conditions. But, it’s vital that the information is reliable and accurate".

Your informed consent video for OE most definitely does not provide reliable and accurate facts!'

No reply...

The next day I wrote to his manager, Kim Chapman...

'1. Does Hilary believe that he is behaving ethically by providing Optical Express with services that will help persuade people to undergo refractive eye surgery with this corrupt and unregulated company?

2. Given that he cannot now deny knowledge of the fact that many thousands of people have been damaged by Optical Express, and that there are hundreds of legal claims in progress against the company and the majority of their surgeons (others settled out of court), is he still prepared to allow them to use what is unarguably his seal of approval?'

No reply...

3 October 2017, I emailed Hilary...

'Referring to the OE patient consent video - which features you extolling their virtues - in answer to my question, a representative told me that you’d had eye surgery at OE.

I can only assume that your previous ops with Dan Reinstein were subsequently unsuccessful, hence explaining the removal of your video as I questioned in my (as yet unanswered) email below.

The OE rep advised me to google your name to find details of your ‘experience’ with the company, but oddly I’m unable to find any such info online.

I’d therefore appreciate it if you would be kind enough to let me know the name of the OE surgeon who performed your surgery, and when it was performed.

In addition, can you also direct me to the relevant web page(s) detailing your experience with Optical Express.

I look forward to your earliest reply.

Best wishes
Sasha'

No response - other than blocking me on his Twitter page for asking awkward questions!

As I’ve said before, Hilary Jones would no doubt promote Catnip as a cure for cancer if someone offered him enough money!
www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/telly-doc-hi...nes-slammed-10806516

Google "Dan Reinstein Hilary Jones” to see links to deleted videos and articles.

*Complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority that this video is misleading and should clearly state that Dr Hilary Jones did not have surgery at Optical Express but is paid to endorse the company.

Optical Express stooping to a whole new low level! They have been contacting those they have made redundant and practically begging them to return as they have left certain clinics very short staffed and struggling to cope with the patients stupidly walking through this companies doors!
This is a company that didn’t have to make those redundancies, they could’ve kept the staff on furlough before deciding who was surplus to requirements and now they have the brass neck to ask those staff to return.
Bring on the GOC hearing, I hope it’s a fair one and not decided by ‘money’.
——————————————
admin: Please email me in confidence sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk

I’m really glad I found this website its shed some new light for me regarding laser eye surgery. Thank you!

I had my consultation at OE a few weeks ago and was given the green light for surgery, but I have been on the fence because I’m so anxious about the endless things that could go wrong so I never booked in for the surgery. I suffer from dry eyes and am aware this could get much worse with lasik unsure why I have been given the go ahead for surgery even when this has been highlighted when carrying out the tests in the consultation.

Reading people’s stories on this website and the huge problems they are dealing with now because of this surgery has definitely made me appreciate what I have now. I hope all of you who have been effected recover over time from this ??

One of the questions in OE’s health questionnaire is if I would like glares and halos but still have good distance vision. Absolutely not, I know something like this would be really hard for me to adjust to.

I asked myself is wearing glasses and contacts really getting in the way of my own lifestyle, not at all. If you’re thinking about laser eye surgery you should ask yourself this too.

My personal opinion I just don’t think the risks are worth it, I believe those who had theirs done with no problems are just lucky (like winning the lottery) I won’t gamble with my eyes. The success statistics are so vague with no in-depth meaning. I also understand lasik is not forever your eyes will deteriorate over time naturally anyways.

I’d choose seeing comfortably with glasses and contacts how I am now than getting lasik and experiencing potentially devastating problems to my eye and mental health.
—————————-
admin: It is always rewarding to have acknowledgment that the continuing battle to publicise and warn people of the serious risks of this unregulated surgery is worthwhile.
Please contact me as I would very much like to see a copy of OE’s recent health questionnaire sasha@opticalexpressruinedmylife.co.uk

This new post on the Optical Express Facebook page claims they go through all options before surgery. We all know this is bull**** so please go onto their Fb page and select the ? emoji so they get the message that all of us damaged patients know the truth about how they lie time and time again to push you into surgery.
Seems like they forgot to sensor the emojis on this post like they normally do, so go all out.
They cannot delete emojis only delete/hide comments.

Allon Barsam must have his Ophthalmic Consultants of London partners cringing in despair, as he again puts not one, but both feet in his mouth


inews-co-uk.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/inews...us-crisis-574896/amp

His comments have angered NHS doctors, not least those who were on the front line providing emergency treatment for patients at the height of the pandemic crisis: 'In the UK we treat the NHS like it’s a sacred cow, when in fact it is an inferior service.’*

On 24 May I criticised OCL, who opened for business before lockdown was lifted, and after redaing this article, one disgusted doctor suggested I should ask Barsam what he did to help the NHS during lockdown?

'The government should insist that people earning above a certain amount must pay for private healthcare to help relieve the burden on the NHS and help the industry recover from the coronavirus pandemic, the owner of a leading private eye clinic in London has said….

'The government should insist that more people have private medical insurance to reduce the burden on the NHS and provide stimulus in the private healthcare sector. At the moment only 10 per cent of Britons have private medical insurance and we should aim for 20 per cent.'

Allon Barsom selfishly wants to boost his presumably ailing private practice (I understand from various sources that the refractive industry is operating at 30% capacity), yet one of the joys of this country is that we are all entitled to free NHS care, no matter what our income.

And to suggest that people in higher tax brackets should be forced to pay for private treatment is a very worrying attitude - and totally hypocritical given this admission:
'Dr Barsam said Ophthalmic Consultants, which furloughed three quarters of its 30 staff during lockdown, had taken out a government-backed “bounce back loan” to help it ride out the crisis.’

'Allon specialises in personalised laser and lens vision correction.’
www.oclvision.com/consultants/allon-barsam/

To ask for a bail out to support flashy overstaffed premises for a non essential service, when so many people have lost their jobs, struggle to find money to feed their families, keep a roof over their heads, is as shameless as Richard Branson’s behaviour!
(If this covers all their premises, perhaps OCL should consider down sizing.)

'Dr Allon Barsam, co-owner of Ophthalmic Consultants of London in the Harley Street area, said the NHS is still working at 50 per cent of capacity and that more people should pay for private services to free up availability.'

Where did Dr Barsam get this figure? Because an NHS source told me it is wholly inaccurate, that of course there is a backlog, but during the last six weeks the NHS reached 80% capacity, aiming for 100% next month.

With hyped accomplishments listed on his website bio, professing to be a ‘sought-after expert opinion-leader’, I suspect that Allon Barsam is gearing up as a contender to replace Drs Bobby Qureshi (London Eye Hospital) and Dan Reinstein (London Vision Clinic) as the refractive surgery ‘expert’ on TV shows.

Bobby was of course erased from the General Medical Council (GMC) register last year (apparently now operating in Paris), whilst Reinstein is a laughing stock after his appearance on This Morning show when he told hosts Eamonn Holmes and Ruth Langsford that wearing glasses was dangerous (18 Oct 2019 post), also famous for damaging Anneka Rice's eyes (amongst others).

2014, a Barsam quote: 'I think a litigious environment is good. If there are problems with medical care, patients should have the right to pursue compensation.'
www.thejc.com/business/features/litigiou...-the-scalpel-1.59688

Six years and thousands of ops later, I wonder if this arrogant and self-professed wunderkind still holds the same view?



*For the record Dr Barsam, I - and many thousands of others left with irreparably damaged eyes - value and respect our NHS!

And whilst it's not perfect, often open to criticism, it most certainly IS a sacred cow, because we’d all be f*cked without it!

AND - more importantly Dr Barsam, you should consider that it was private healthcare responsible for ruining our eyes!

NB: GMC Good Medical Practice guidance for doctors state: 'You must make sure that your conduct justifies your patients’ trust in you and the public’s trust in the profession.’
www.gmc-uk.org/ethical-guidance/ethical-...---maintaining-trust

Allon Barsam's comments do the opposite!

Interesting policy at OCL.

uk.trustpilot.com/review/oclvision.com?page=2

This latest sales pitch from Optical Express is hysterically funny - and tragically desperate!


The function that vision plays in our everyday life is quite staggering.’ No sh*t Sherlock

‘What is the solution?
A short term solution would be to improve the fit of your mask. If you are wearing a surgical mask, mould the bendable strip to fit your nose, this should better conceal your face which in turn should lessen the chance of your breath escaping from the mask. For cotton face masks, simply tighten the sides of your masks to ensure a better fit around the nose area. However this is only a short term fix, with the need for face masks showing no signs of letting up any time soon, it may be time to consider a more sustainable vision correction option such as a laser eye or lens replacement surgery.’
www.opticalexpress.co.uk/magazine/articl...ses-from-steaming-up

Katie is just one of a number of Optical Express employees who've contacted me over the last few months after being made redundant


'A young woman has claimed she was made redundant just 48 hours after telling her employer she was pregnant.

Katie, from Southampton, Hampshire, said: "I think it's purely because it's an inconvenience to have someone pregnant working for your company."'
ttps://www.tyla.com/life/life-news-woman-made-redundant-optical-express-pregnancy-katie-creighton-20200721

And even her long term close friendship with frequently sacked Wee Shugster - aka Hugh Kerr* - didn't help keep Fiona Morton off OE's rapidly increasing redundancy list recently, responsible for sacking many people during her eight years as one of David Moulsdale's core team.

I've been expecting Optical Express to go into administration for almost two years, but they keep hanging on (not refunding deposits helps motivation), and with the entire refractive industry struggling right now, it will be interesting to see if this happens before the General Optical Council Fitness to Practise tribunal in September, because the guaranteed negative publicity can only make things worse for the company!

NB: Disgruntled employees always welcome to contact me with any inside info. Confidentiality guaranteed.

* www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/opt...ared-calling-6875203

OE working with skeleton staff in virtually all departments I’m hearing.
Heard from a source that Moulsdale’s sidekick (well he was then he wasn’t but seems he is again) the delightful Hugh Kerr, seems to be running the show. Sending emails out to the stores.
Consensus is that the company wasn’t well prepared with PPE equipment with stores opening before the equipment was delivered, no clear instructions coming out of their head office advising staff on what to do. Basically thrown the staff in at the deep end.
Removing Optoms from diaries and telling them they are putting them on ‘furlough’ for those days, can they actually do that?
Regional Managers all made redundant...............
This is a sinking ship, will be keeping an eye out for the outcome of the GOC hearing!

I have been made aware of people today that have been made redundant with one weeks notice. I'm guessing a lot more to follow.