“We are focused on supporting our clinicians to be the best they can be”

Could you give us an overview of Specsavers’ plans for 100% Optical 2023?

We will be focusing on our purpose – changing lives. We’ll show how we care for our patients and customers and how we change communities through our community action programmes by sharing real stories.

What products and services will you be showcasing in particular?

We will showcase our fabulous CPD, which is open to all. We will share insight into the exciting development journeys open to Specsavers clinicians, offering everything from university engagement and pre-reg academy, all the way through to higher qualifications for optometrists. For the first time we are offering a session designed specifically for dispensing opticians.

We will also share personal stories of colleagues working flexibly, spending their time in combinations of practice, hospital and domiciliary services.

What key issues or industry developments has Specsavers observed in 2022 that you will be drawing from in conversations at the show?

Amid growing NHS ophthalmology waiting lists leading to preventable sight loss, there are examples that show how community optometry can be part of the solution if services are commissioned differently. We will highlight the need to draw on the skills of the entire eye care sector to meet the needs of patients.

We are focused on supporting our clinicians to be the best they can be to support our vision of changing lives through better sight and hearing. We want to ensure our clinicians have the appropriate qualifications in place to not only detect eye disease but to manage eye care for patients in the community and we are supporting them through professional certificate funding.

We are excited that Marsha de Cordova’s bill calling for an eye care strategy will progress to a second reading, and we are fully supportive of the need for a national eye care implementation plan.

What education will Specsavers deliver at the show?

Our CPD programme includes CPD points for all types of registrants – optometrists, domiciliary colleagues, dispensing opticians – showcasing the diverse range of educational content that Specsavers is famous for. Sessions include retinal image assessment, children’s vision, avoiding false positives with OCT scans, referrals and recalls in practice, and dispensing decisively. Our mainstage sessions will highlight our cutting-edge work on use of data to improve clinical outcomes and insights into home eye care. Our senior clinical leaders will be on hand to facilitate our interactive sessions and provide advice on professional advancement.

How can visitors best prepare for a successful session?

They can book in advance for one of the limited places available for each session and come with questions from their own practice to share with like-minded colleagues.

What trends do you expect to see emerging from the show?

I expect to see increased interest in additional qualifications for clinicians so they can further support the NHS, for example by reducing the burden on ophthalmologists by managing stable glaucoma patients in the community. I also expect to see better sharing of data to improve clinical outcomes, as well as growing support for our shared messages as we speak with one voice for our sector and the role we play as front-line primary care practitioners. 

Why should delegates book a meeting, or include a stop at your stand? What will they take away from the experience?

You will be able to choose the real development stories you would like to hear from a selection of options on our touchscreens; chat with our clinical leaders who will share their own stories with you over a coffee; and learn about the huge range of opportunities open to Specsavers clinical colleagues. Come and see what Specsavers can offer you in career development.

Finally, you can have a go at our competition as many times as you like – demonstrate your skill, outmanoeuvre your fellow delegates, and have the chance to win an iPad.

Can you share any exclusive insights for our readers about what they can expect on your stand?

We will be showcasing ‘Beyond the graduate,’ a three-year programme of learning and development for newly-qualified Specsavers optometrists, which provides training in clinical specialities and leadership opportunities.

Come and meet our professional development team. We have internal and external experts on hand, including a hugely experienced senior team with a diverse range of knowledge and some younger leaders involved in the delivery of education.

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Find Specsavers at stand L230 at 100% Optical 2023.

100% Optical 2023 will take place at ExCeL London from 25–27 February. Register for the event and find the full seminar programme on the 100% Optical website.