Manchester team receives teaching excellence award

A multidisciplinary team from the University of Manchester and Manchester Royal Eye Hospital have received a teaching excellence award for their work supporting optometrists to upskill in glaucoma detection and monitoring.

The Glaucoma TEMPO team were recognised by Advance HE with a Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence (CATE).

The awards celebrate collaborative work that has had a demonstrable impact on teaching and learning.

This year 15 teams were recognised for teaching excellence, and the recent accolade marks Manchester’s first CATE award.

Made up of Dr Catherine Porter, senior lecturer in optometry and lead for postgraduate teaching at the University of Manchester, and Manchester Royal Hospital colleagues Professor Robert Harper, Professor Cecilia Fenerty and Patrick Gunn, the team runs a professional certificate in glaucoma, accredited by the College of Optometrists.

Through the partnership, optometrists are trained in the early identification of glaucoma, and go on to work in enhanced referral schemes.

Information about the award winners on the Advance HE website explains: “The students they have trained have increased hospital capacity and improved patient outcomes. They evaluate the clinical effectiveness of these schemes, and the published evidence influences NHS commissioners nationwide.”

Read more about the winners and see the full list of award recipients on the Advance HE website.

In the past three years, the number of optometrists trained to deliver the service in the Greater Manchester area has grown 300%.

The glaucoma monitoring scheme has also enabled patients to be seen closer to home. In 89% of cases, the patient’s trip to the local optometrist was shorter than a trip to the eye hospital.

Responding to the news of the award, Porter commented: “The University of Manchester and Manchester Royal Eye Hospital have a long and well-established history of collaborative working.

“We have always been passionate about post graduate education of eye health professionals, to improve patient care and outcomes for all in the Greater Manchester area,” she said.

“Manchester was the first trust in the country to introduce a glaucoma referral refinement scheme, and we are delighted our teaching collaboration has been recognised by Advance HE with Manchester’s first CATE award,” Porter added.

The Advance HE awards ceremony will take place on 28 September.