ABDO regional leads update
Regional leads get together at ABDO College
It is hoped that all ABDO members are now aware of who their regional lead is, but do you know what they actually do and when you should contact them?
ABDO regional leads have existed for some time, but their role was reviewed and re-launched in 2023 with a more refined structure and objectives.
ABDO has a small, dedicated team of employees – and it can sometimes be difficult to know who to contact with a specific query. Regional leads can help with this, by acting as a bridge between members and the central ABDO team.
The role of regional lead is to ensure that, within the four nations, ABDO has someone with local knowledge representing its members. Each nation operates differently with regard to the delivery of eyecare; this makes local knowledge crucial to enable ABDO to represent every one of its members.
This representation can be central, with the NHS or Department of Health and Social Care, or with other organisations involved in healthcare negotiations with both the UK and devolved governments. It can also be more local, such as liaising with those involved with independent NHS pathways. We also liaise with local, regional and area optical committees and their national membership bodies – with the aim of ensuring DO representation at all levels. In some local areas, this already works well and DOs are well represented.
Regional leads are also available to offer support, information and encouragement as and when needed, or indeed attend relevant meetings themselves. In areas where there is less representation, we hope to encourage and support local DOs to become involved in their local representative committees or eye health structures.
As a member, initially your first touchpoint for any assistance should be the ABDO website – www.abdo.org.uk – which has a host of information and signposting. However, there may be occasions when you cannot find the answer you are looking for. Sometimes it may be obvious who to contact, but if you are unsure or your query relates to a local issue, you can contact your regional lead who will do their best to help.
Strategic discussions
In October, the ABDO regional leads gathered at ABDO College for a two-day series of meetings. The event provided an opportunity to connect with other ABDO and ABDO College staff, collaboratively shape regional plans for 2025, and strategise on enhancing engagement with the wider membership. The days were intense and packed with activity, but the team found them incredibly productive and rewarding.
The meetings were led by Max Halford, ABDO clinical lead and head of the regional team, with support from immediate past president and ABDO Board advisor, Daryl Newsome, and Ed Fox, ABDO head of membership. Daryl facilitated discussions, offering valuable insights into the distribution of responsibilities within ABDO and ABDO College. Ed shared the results of the recent membership survey, providing crucial insights into the membership journey and highlighting opportunities to better support members at every stage in their career.
We also held discussions with ABDO College principal, Nina McDermott, ABDO CEO, Alistair Bridge, and Miranda Richardson, Mark Chandler and Dean Dunning from the ABDO Examinations Department. We heard what other departments were working on, and what support currently existed for members. This equipped the regional leads team with important information that will help us to support members, and the wider optical profession, should any queries arise.
Sadly, this was the last meeting that our regional lead for the South of England, Millie Fellows, would be attending. She has now stepped away from the role due to health reasons – and her presence, wisdom, guidance and input will be greatly missed by everyone. As a result of this, a top priority is to recruit a new regional lead for the South of England.
As we begin a new year, your regional leads will continue to build upon the foundational work undertaken in 2024. This has included getting extended services contact lens opticians integrated into NHS pathways in more areas, ensuring that DOs were given a greater voice at strategic meetings involving the optical profession, answering queries from ABDO members, and responding to a range of other enquires to help raise the profile of the profession.
We hope to be present at events to support DOs and to facilitate communications within the ABDO membership. Please do not hesitate to contact us by email should the need arise.