Do you need to free up some time away from accounts to spend it on doing something you enjoy much more? Do you want to access discounts that you can’t achieve as an independent? Do you spend more then £50 per month in terms of time/salary on accounts admin? Then our SPECS scheme could be for you! When you join Sight Care you can also opt to join our Buying Group, for an additional monthly administration charge.

How does it work?
You place your orders directly with suppliers in the normal way, quoting your Buying Group account number, and goods are delivered directly to your practice; but invoiced to Sight Care.  At the end of each calendar month, your total purchases with each supplier are reconciled; the invoices are mailed to you with a covering statement on the 17th of the following month; your account is debited on the 29th with the single total amount due; Sight Care pays the suppliers on your behalf.

What paperwork do I receive?
A monthly statement showing the total amounts spent with each supplier and batched copies of the supporting purchase invoices which have been reconciled with the suppliers’ month-end statements.

What does it cost?
Participants of the Buying Group are charged a monthly service fee which covers the cost of accounting and administration.  This is a flat-rate fee and does not depend on your level of expenditure.  The current service fee is £43 +VAT per month for each practice account maintained.  If you have 2 or more practices but have all transactions charged to one account you will pay £51.60 per month; however if you require each practice to be self-accounting, the fee will apply per practice.

Who are preferred suppliers?
A list of established companies supplying contact lenses, spectacle frames, accessories and consumables, and prescription houses is enclosed.  This list is kept under review and applications from other organisations for supplier status are considered (by your board of directors) as they arise. You may of course purchase from other, non-listed suppliers, but such transactions cannot be processed through the buying group.

What discounts are offered?
Discounts and incentives vary from supplier to supplier and across product ranges.  A summary outline of terms is available online.  More comprehensive information and applicable price lists are provided to participating practices.  Additionally a number of companies pay a retrospective overrider based on overall annual group spend; this is rebated pro-rata to practices the following March.

How do I join?
Membership of the buying group is optional.  A formal agreement and direct debit mandate is available to download online; please complete and return this to us if you wish to join.  We will provide you with a portfolio for contact information, terms and catalogues, and will notify suppliers on your behalf of your buying group account number and start date.