The past few years have been a rollercoaster. The ripples of the Covid pandemic are still being felt – not just in health and the way we work in practice, but in everything from global finance to procurement, supply and political stability. Against this difficult backdrop, ABDO members are continuing their vital work, providing eyecare and eyewear across the UK and beyond. The Association has continued to fulfil its purpose to support and represent members, to enable them to develop their roles, to promote the roles of members, and to advance the profession as a whole.
Autumn 2023 saw the first Myopia Management Conference enabling ABDO members to hear from those at the forefront of this fast-developing field. Myopia management is an area where members can develop their roles, and the profession can advance. ABDO also introduced the new FBDO syllabus to ensure students are prepared for future roles in practice.
The end of 2023 showed the potential for recovery and growth, as inflation finally dropped leading to hopes of improving finances in 2024. In optics, there is a positive outlook too: alongside myopia management there is renewed interest in paediatric dispensing. These foci reinforce the value of the dispensing optician (DO) and the contact lens optician (CLO) in practice and to patients. Looking to the future, ABDO is ready to seize opportunities on behalf of members and face the challenges that lie ahead. The Association will be carrying out work in relation to all five elements of its purpose. Below, you can read about the key areas of focus in each area.
ABDO’s priorities for 2024
• Introducing the FBDO apprenticeship following approval of the apprenticeship standard
• Launching a new professional certificate in paediatric eyecare
• Providing an excellent service for members, now and into the future
Read on to discover ABDO’s priorities in each of the five areas of its purpose…
Supporting members
• Strengthening engagement through proactive interaction with members and employers to understand and respond to their needs
• Ensuring ABDO’s policy and clinical guidance is updated to reflect developments in practice, research and regulation
• Reviewing ABDO’s insurance products to ensure the Association meets members’ needs
• Reviewing ABDO’s membership categories and expanding involvement in the profession by introducing a new affiliate membership category for those aspiring to become DOs
Representing members
• Engaging with the General Optical Council (GOC) to ensure that the voice of DOs is heard as the GOC updates the standards of practice for DOs and optometrists, and the standards for optical businesses
• Ensuring that DOs are represented effectively at local and national level by supporting members to participate in local optical committees and gain roles with national bodies, such as the GOC and Local Optical Committee Support Unit
• Contributing to effective engagement with the NHS and governments across the UK, ensuring that the interests of DOs are represented effectively
Enabling members to develop their roles
• Introducing the FBDO apprenticeship with students starting on the apprenticeship route from September 2024
• Launching a new professional certificate in paediatric eyecare in Q1, enabling members to build on their core paediatric expertise
• Introducing a new contact lens syllabus in Q3 to reflect developments in practice and minimise practical barriers to students completing the course
• Holding a clinical conference at the ABDO National Resource Centre in Q3 • Providing a comprehensive programme of CPD enabling members to meet the GOC’s requirements
Promoting awareness of members’ roles
• Engaging with large and small employers plus other key stakeholders across the UK to highlight the value that DOs and CLOs bring to practice
• Continuing the ‘Yes a DO can’ campaign
• Promoting ABDO’s award-winning Careers in Eyecare campaign to inspire the next generation of DOs and allied professionals
Advancing the profession
• Relaunching the ABDO research fund in Q3 to support members to carry out research and add to the evidence base for the profession
• Promoting ABDO’s research to enhance members’ understanding, highlight the importance of dispensing expertise and encourage the development of wellfitting spectacles for the benefit of patients and members
• Finalising and launching ABDO’s research strategy, which will set out its longerterm objectives as ABDO seeks to advance the profession
Underpinning all this work will be activity to ensure that the Association is a professional, modern and sustainable organisation providing an excellent service to members now and into the future.
Download a copy of the ABDO Annual Plan 2024 here.