AOP seeking Peer Support Line volunteers

The AOP is seeking volunteers to join its Peer Support Line (PSL), a confidential listening service providing support for optical professionals at any stage of their career.

The free-phone helpline is available for members and non-members at any stage of their optical career to discuss their problems with a trained and empathetic peer.

The helpline received 516 calls in 2024, its highest ever, and an 11% increase on the previous year.

Elin Daniel, AOP events coordinator, explained that the most common issues shared by callers in 2024 were stress, employment, professional conduct or disciplinary issues, the OSCEs, and mental health.

Daniel told OT: “We’re really pleased that more and more people are accessing the support that the line offers and want to increase this even more in 2025.”

Volunteers wanted

Applications are open to join the Peer Support Line team, with the AOP seeking volunteers at any stage of their optical career, including pre-registration and newly-qualified optometrists.

Applicants will be empathetic, non-judgemental, with excellent listening skills. An important skill is to be able to listen while refraining from giving advice. Volunteers commit to being available to take calls two days per month from 8am to 8pm.

All volunteers receive professional training in reflective listening and call handling, as well as regular support from the AOP.

Optical professionals who are interested in volunteering with the Peer Support Line can find more details on the application process on the AOP website. The application period closes on Sunday 16 February.

Support for pre-registration optometrists

Last year, the AOP introduced a pre-registration support service through which callers can be referred to a pre-reg specialist who will call back at a later date to check in.

Daniel shared that the new service has had a positive response from callers. She said: “Callers have appreciated getting a call back to see how they’re feeling and how they’ve been getting on a week or two later.”

“I think it’s a feeling of reassurance that they’re on someone’s radar when they’re having a difficult time, which can be very comforting,” she added.

Since the service started, a pre-reg specialist volunteer has been available twice a month to return calls, but the AOP hopes to increase this with a volunteer available each week.

Daniel suggested this would reduce the amount of time pre-reg callers need to wait to receive a call back.

Enhance skills, give back, be part of a team

Daniel shared: “Being a Peer Support Line volunteer allows people to use and enhance lots of their ‘soft skills’ and helps them to improve the way they interact with patients and colleagues – listening skills help in so many situations.”

As part of the Peer Support Line, volunteers also have the opportunity to support the profession in a “completely different way” to daily working life, offering a change of pace, Daniel added.

She shared: “Our volunteers say they really enjoy being part of the team. They are an incredibly supportive and welcoming group of people.”

For anyone who might be interested in applying but is apprehensive, Daniel said: “Everyone feels nervous when they start taking calls, but before that happens we have a great training programme which includes the opportunity to make ‘mock’ calls with some of our experienced volunteers.”

Every member of the team is assigned a mentor when they start taking calls through the Peer Support Line. Daniel explained: “They can talk through their calls and how they are feeling, and get advice from an experienced volunteer, so no-one is on their own.”

Spread the message

Daniel encouraged optical professionals to share the details of the Peer Support Line with colleagues, such as through team meetings or training.

“Despite the line being up and running since 2017, we still find a lot of people who aren’t aware of it and we want to get the message out to everyone,” she said.

If a colleague seems to be having a hard time, Daniel suggested, “maybe you could ask if they have heard of the Peer Support Line. This could start a conversation so you can let them know the service is available for them.”