GOC announces new appointments to its Companies and Investigation committees

The General Optical Council (GOC) has today appointed two new registrant committee members to its Investigation Committee and three new business representatives to its Companies Committee. The committee members will provide expert advice on key areas of the GOC’s work, ensuring that it continues to take account of issues that affect registrants and the public and puts patient safety at the heart of its decisions.

Speaking about the appointments GOC Chair, Gareth Hadley, said “I would like to welcome our new committee appointments to the GOC. The input they will provide will be vital to our work in the coming months and years ahead. Their expertise will be invaluable in helping us to progress key projects such as our Education Strategic Review.”

Companies Committee business representatives

 The GOC has appointed Gordon Ilett, Jonathan Gardner and Stephen Hannan as business representatives to its Companies Committee. The committee advises the Council and other committees on matters relating to business registrants and is made up of a combination of lay members and those which represent optical businesses.

Gordon Ilett is an optometrist and managing director of a small group of practices in South London and Kent. He has a special interest in learning disabilities and is a trustee and vice-chairman of SeeAbility. In his career Gordon has worked in private practice and in hospitals, also working to develop optometry training programmes in the UK and abroad.

This year, Jonathan Gardner became the managing director at Boots Opticians. Since joining Boots at aged 16 as a Saturday Healthcare Assistant he has had a number of varied roles in the company, working in retail, property, operations and HR. His most recent positon before moving to Boots Opticians was as managing director for Boots HearingCare

Stephen Hannan has been an optometrist since 2002 following his graduation from Glasgow Caledonian University. Since qualifying he has worked for Optical Express, holding a variety of positions including regional senior optometrist, clinical services manager and most recently clinical services director. He has been published widely in scientific journals, and has a particular interest in refractive surgery.

Investigation Committee

The GOC has also appointed Christian Dutton and Richard Rawlinson to its Investigations Committee. The committee considers allegations that a registrant may not be fit to practise (where Case Examiners cannot agree) and referrals from case examiners for an assessment of a registrant’s performance or health.

Christian Dutton has held a variety of posts as a clinical, organisational and volunteer optometrist. He holds a Master’s degree in clinical optometry and was awarded Fellowship of the College of Optometrists for promoting good practice locally and internationally. He has examined for Wales Optometry Postgraduate Education Centre (WOPEC) and the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers (WCSM) and currently works in community ophthalmology, telemedicine triage and clinical policy development.

Richard Rawlinson is a registered dispensing optician who practices and lives in Manchester. Richard hold a number of roles, including Commissioning Lead for the Local Optical Committee Support Unit (LOCSU),  Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO) Regional Lead for the North of England, Midlands and East of England and ABDO representative on the UK Domiciliary Eyecare Committee. In addition, he is a qualified Diabetic Retinal Grader and enjoys writing and presenting CET across the UK.

Appointees to the Investigation and Companies committees will take up their posts on 1 January 2018.