Independents gather at Edgbaston

Workshops covered both clinical and business topics

Held at Edgbaston Stadium last month, SightCare Live 2026 brought together independent eyecare professionals from across the UK for two days of learning, celebration and connection.

The event opened with the SightCare Awards, recognising excellence across independent practice, while the programme included an inspiring keynote talk from Penny Mallory on mental toughness – alongside a series of practical breakout sessions covering both clinical and business topics.

Sessions explored areas such as communication in practice, developing specialist clinics and strengthening team performance, and included a skills workshop led by ABDO professional development learning manager, Cheryl Hill, on frame modifications.

Cheryl told DO Online: “ABDO was proud to partner with SightCare to deliver a tailored CPD session that equipped their teams with practical, up-to-date knowledge and skills. Supporting ongoing professional development is essential in today’s evolving healthcare landscape, and we were pleased to contribute to SightCare’s commitment to maintaining the highest standards of patient care across its network.”

The event’s exhibition provided further opportunities for networking, product discovery and supplier engagement.

Emma Rawlings, SightCare CEO said: “Our events are all about bringing our community together, and SightCare Live truly captured that spirit. Seeing practice owners, teams and suppliers sharing ideas, supporting one another and building meaningful relationships is exactly what ‘independent not alone’ stands for. It is incredibly rewarding to see the impact these connections will have long after the event has finished.”

With strong engagement, high levels of interaction and overwhelmingly positive feedback, SightCare has confirmed plans to build on this success for future events.