Pros
Good atmosphere and stylish practices with significant levels of professional freedom to dispense the best/most appropriate eyewear/lenses for your patient. Supportive of professional development and proactively encourage feedback from the practice teams. The directors are hands on, working as optometrists in the practices. Although you work on Saturdays, it's only till 2pm, and the practices don't open on Sundays or Bank holidays. You also get a couple of extra days off at Easter and Xmas which don't come out of your holiday entitlement. All professional fees ( GOC/ABDO) are paid for by the company. Cet/in house/sponsored courses supported. Friends and family discounts plus a free set of glasses every year.
Cons
Unless they open another practice it's unlikely that there would be a quick opportunity to move Ito management - people who join the company tend to stay for quite a long time. The patients can be demanding - the practices aim at high quality/ premium products, and patients expect the same in the service they get. It's not sharp 9-5.30 - they close when the last patient has left, and you are expected to get in 20-30 mins before opening to set up for the clinic- but it's not often that someone is still in the practice later than 6pm. A few times a year there are training sessions that are out of normal hours that you are expected to attend.