Hospital Optometrists Committee Election 2025

“I have served on the Hospital Optometry Committee (HOC) for the past 3 years and would very much welcome the opportunity to continue supporting its valuable work. The HOC represents hospital optometrists across the UK, encouraging collaboration within the profession and with the wider healthcare team to promote best practice and support high standards of care, education and professional development.

As a HOC member, I have helped organise several Hospital Optometry Annual Conferences which offer high quality presentations and invaluable networking. I have presented workshops and peer review sessions and I actively encourage participation and attendance at these events.

The HOC encourages regional hospital optometry groups to meet throughout the year and I have established regular virtual meetings for hospital optometrists across Yorkshire and the North-East, offering a forum to informally share any challenges and to discuss topics such as new roles, recruitment, governance and the new CLiP scheme.

As Deputy Head of Optometry at Leeds Teaching Hospital I work with a large team of optometrists and dispensing opticians, and I manage the Glaucoma Monitoring Unit. My clinical role focuses on complex contact lenses, anterior segment and glaucoma. I examine for the College of Optometrists and have recently joined the IP Assessment Panel. I am passionate about teaching and mentoring, actively supporting colleagues undertaking higher qualifications and working in specialist clinics.

With extensive experience in the HES, I recognise the skills and vital contribution of hospital optometrists within the NHS and other ophthalmology settings (AQP), and I remain dedicated to advancing hospital optometry. If elected to serve again, I will work with the HOC to shape and support the profession to meet new challenges, and to develop national job profiles to promote career development and to reflect the complexity of work in what is a continually evolving profession.

Thank you”

“My name is Amandeep Rai, a proud mother of two. I am an enthusiastic hospital optometrist with over six years experience of working between hospital and community optometry.

My passion for hospital optometry started with gaining a hospital pre-registration placement at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire in 2017. Thereafter, I moved to practicing in the community, where I participated in managing patients under WOPEC accredited EOS schemes including; CUES, OHT, post cataract and school screening.

Moving back into hospital optometry I worked at Optegra to perform pre and post cataract assessments, interpreting biometry results, considering patient suitability for cataract surgery and performing ocular health checks post surgery. I then spent some time locuming for flexibility around my children. And I am now in the role of specialist optometrist at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

In my current role I am performing refractions for corneal and neuro-ophthalmology clinics as well as fitting speciality contact lenses. In my portfolio of experience I have witnessed first-hand the challenges hospital optometrists face; whether this be navigating limited resources, co-coordinating capabilities across different departments or adapting to policy changes.

I am eager to contribute my skills and energy to drive meaningful improvements. With a collaborative approach, a commitment to making practical improvements and fresh ideas I am confident hospital optometrist practices can be further enhanced. I am passionate about making difference, and with your vote, I will work vigorously to elevate our profession.

Thank you for your consideration.”

“Having worked for seven years in the Hospital Eye Service, I have established a strong commitment to ensuring top quality care remains available, through the NHS setting, into the future.

There are many challenges facing the Hospital Eye Service. The pre-registration scheme has, for many years, been the mainstay of ensuring a continual supply of well-trained talent in the service but will shortly become a thing of the past. Uncertainty around how the service can accommodate the training and retention of new optometrists is a major concern for our often over-looked branch of the profession. Increasing competition from alternative providers requires us to sharpen our focus to retain our reputation as the gold-standard for secondary care.

As a highly inquisitive and sociable individual, I have taken every opportunity to build a network of associates through regular attendance at the hospital conferences and through gaining further qualifications. This has given me insight into how the four regions of the UK strive to provide excellence in their services, with differing challenges but sharing the same concerns. It is my belief that the different regions can learn much from one another.

Historically, and despite its many outstanding departments, the south-west of England has been under-represented on the committee.

The Hospital Optometrists committee is the obvious forum for sharing ideas from the across the United Kingdom. Having a very questioning nature, I would bring a valuable pair of fresh eyes to the committee. I would feel honoured to represent the concerns and ideas from the south-west of England and beyond.”

“I joined the HOC in 2021 and serving on this committee has been a privilege. I have greatly enjoyed championing the highly valuable and skilled work of hospital optometrists and I have been pleased to represent both my fellow hospital optometrists from Northern Ireland as well as colleagues throughout the U.K. Locally, I have proactively assisted and encouraged optometry participation in regional CPD as well as the annual Hospital Optometry Conference.

Belfast Trust has one of the largest Hospital Optometry Departments in the UK and I have worked here as an optometrist since 2002. My work has been both enjoyable and challenging and my remit has changed significantly over the years as I developed and extended my skills. I have been IP – qualified for 10 years and I currently work in extended roles in the Regional Corneal Clinic, Glaucoma Service and Eye Casualty as well as Medical Contact Lenses.

Outside of my clinical work, I have a strong interest in post-graduate teaching and training. I have been a part-time lecturer for the University of Ulster IP course since 2016. I regularly deliver talks, workshops and posters regionally and nationally including mandatory Northern Ireland PEARS training. Within Belfast Trust, I am actively involved in audit and quality improvement and I have recently taken up the post of Quality Improvement Lead for Ophthalmology.

I would welcome the opportunity to join the Hospital Optometry Committee for another 3 year term and continue my contribution to the development and protection of optometrists in this sector. In the current climate if increasing demand, I believe that hospital optometrists have a key role to play in the delivery of safe, effective and efficient eye care.”

“I am a dedicated and committed Hospital Optometrist with over a decade of experience across many sub-specialties within Ophthalmology. Following pre-reg and in the initial period post qualification at Cheltenham General, I moved to Moorfields Eye Hospital. I undertook complex core optometry work alongside training in areas such as glaucoma, medical retina, complex Paediatrics and CL fitting. During my time in MEH I developed and understanding of the importance of outstanding clinical leadership in ensuring Optometrists’ potential is maximised- particularly with respect to tackling the challenging waiting list issues facing NHS organisations.

After starting an MSc at UCL I relocated to Bristol Eye Hospital. During my time here I completed the above in addition to the DipGlauc, IP and profCert MedRet qualifications.

Undertaking the Aspiring Improvers programme at UCLP, and becoming a PRINCE 2 practitioner has provided me with the knowledge to support the service and workforce development, and operational elements of my current role. I have successfully recruited the first hospital pre-registration post in Wales. Working directly with consultants to extend our practice into all areas of Ophthalmology I have become the first Optometrist in Wales to independently undertake complex paediatric clinics.

Originally from Porthcawl in South Wales, I am humbled to be able to return home and provide these specialist optometry skills to a population that have for so long been deprived of such services.

Building a strong, effective and sustainable hospital Optometry workforce is something I am incredibly passionate about. Grossly underrepresented across Wales, hospital Optometrists are ideally placed to make a significant difference to waiting lists when working in collaboration with medical colleagues.

I look forward to using my position as the hospital representative for Optometry Wales in combination with this role on HOC to promote the ongoing development of our profession within the NHS.”

“As an early career hospital optometrist and ACP trainee at Moorfields Eye Hospital, I’ve had the privilege to work in a wide cross-section of clinics, to undertake clinical audits and engage in clinical governance work. I'm an advocate for empowerment through learning and champion opportunities to learn! I intend to be a voice for BAME representation in optometry and to promote inclusive optical leadership which is more reflective of present and future clinicians.

I hope to seek and represent the views of AOP hospital members and to feed into discussions around education, career pathways and scope of practice. I’m also an advocate for robust dialogue between primary and secondary care as we see ophthalmic pathways evolve, and I seek to champion better outcomes for my fellow optometrists and patients, especially BAME patients, who are more susceptible to poorer health outcomes.

I aim to make evidence-based contributions to the council's decision-making processes, drawing upon on my MSc/post-graduate study and I thoroughly believe I can offer a fresh perspective, unwavering dedication, and a strong commitment to the hospital committee. Furthermore, I believe I can bring valuable insights into the evolving needs and aspirations of the growing number of young hospital professionals.

My passion lies in fostering collaboration among ophthalmic professions, recognising its importance in shaping the future of eye care. I am committed to actively promoting and supporting initiatives that unite eye care professionals, ultimately benefiting the AOP and the broader eye care community.

As a AOP member, I hope to seek and represent the views of members of the profession to feed into discussions around education, career pathways and scope of practice so that AOP hospital members have a voice in shaping AOP policy and strategy.”

“I feel privileged to have worked in a variety of settings including multiple and independent practices, refractive corneal laser and refractive lens exchange clinics. I further developed my skills in shared care optometry with over a decade of experience working at Bristol Eye Hospital in Medical Retina, Glaucoma, Cataract, Clinical Research and Education.

Currently, as Head of Clinical Services at Newmedica Bristol, I actively promote multidisciplinary work and upskilling to enhance the delivery of ophthalmology services. Independent Service Provider (ISP) optometrists contribute a significant amount to community ophthalmology, and collaboration between healthcare professionals across different healthcare settings is essential to improve patient care.

Additionally, as a Senior Lecturer and Specialist Module Leader at Cardiff University, I have championed Medical Retina education and higher qualifications, demonstrating my commitment to teaching and professional development. I am passionate about contributing to a committee that advances hospital optometry nationwide and would welcome the opportunity to help.”

“I’m excited to stand for the Hospital Optometrists Committee.

Our profession has transformed in recent years. Hospital optometrists now routinely manage complex cases in glaucoma, medical retina, paediatrics, eye casualty and corneal clinics, with growing roles in uveitis and electrophysiology. Yet expanded responsibilities require increased support, training, and recognition, areas I’m enthusiastic about improving.

It’s inspiring to see optometrist’s integral role in specialist services. At Bristol Eye Hospital, I work across medical retina, uveitis, and eye casualty clinics, seeing directly how our expertise enhances patient care. Similarly, teaching at Cardiff University has shown me the impact of initiatives like our teach-and-treat clinics in developing optometrists.

My career has involved interesting clinical work, education and service development. I’ve been fortunate to collaborate on innovative initiatives like an award winning teach and treat clinic and Wales’s first optometrist led medical retina anti-VEGF service, which was achieved through great teamwork between optometrists and consultants who valued each other’s skills.

I believe expertise grows through clinical experience. While higher qualifications are important, nothing replaces managing patients with mentorship in a supportive environment. The next generation of optometrists are eager for greater clinical responsibility; hospital optometry should lead in providing structured training and clinical leadership.

If selected, I will focus on:

• Securing recognition for our enhanced clinical roles
• Advocating for high-quality practical training
• Strengthening partnerships with ophthalmologists and primary care
• Sharing best practices across all hospital settings.

Thank you for considering me. Every optometrist’s experience matters, whether in a large teaching hospital, independent provider, or smaller unit. I’d like to hear your insights on successes and challenges, and I’m committed to advancing our profession’s support and recognition.”

“I'm a dedicated hospital optometrist with 15 years of experience, deeply passionate about my work. I've always cherished the opportunity to work with patients and make a meaningful impact on their lives.

I hold the distinction of being an independent prescriber, possess a professional certificate in glaucoma, and serve as a clinical instructor at the University of Manchester. My experience spans core and extended roles in optometry, and I've also taken on management responsibilities.

I'm running to be actively engaged in the profession's growth and future. I believe it's essential to advance recognition for specialist clinical skills within hospital optometry.

I'm committed to fostering collaboration between hospital optometry and community services. This synergy is crucial for efficient operations and the seamless delivery of eye care.

During my career in hospital optometry, I've seen the positive impact we can make on patients' lives. With your support, I aim to take our profession to new heights, focusing on skill development, recognition, and the important bridge between hospital and community services. My experience in core and extended role optometry, coupled with management experience, positions me well to lead this effort.

Thank you for considering me for the Hospital Optometry Committee. Together, we can elevate our profession and provide even better care to our patients.”

“In a field that continues to grow in complexity and opportunity, hospital optometrists face unique challenges that require innovative thinking. By joining the Hospital Optometrists Committee, I want to help bridge gaps, foster learning, and champion our work in ways that truly benefit both patients and professionals.

Since joining hospital care in 2020, I have progressed from working in cataract pathways – including pre & post-operative assessments and YAG treatments – to my current role as Lead Medical Retina Optometrist for the Midlands region. It has been a journey of learning, adapting and working alongside some brilliant clinicians. I now oversee a team of hospital optometrists, remain clinically active in medical retina care, and take a strategic lead in improving service delivery.

I am passionate about education and connection. Whether through CPD training, mentoring, or peer support, I am committed to raising standards and helping colleagues feel confident and equipped in their evolving roles. I aim to drive innovation through new pathways and ways of working that enhance both services and strengthen our teams.

Equally important to me is empathy – in patient care, in leadership and in how we support one another as professionals. I understand the pressures of hospital practice and the value of feeling heard and supported. Therefore, I am eager to strengthen communicationbetween hospital optometrists and other healthcare professionals. Through multidisciplinary working, I have seen how shared knowledge and collaboration can transform services and outcomes.

If elected, I will bring energy, experience, and a genuine commitment to promoting best practice, and contributing a meaningful voice to the future of hospital optometry.”