Optrafair 20/20 to provide forum for debate

Colin Davidson

ABDO president, Clive Marchant, will host a new Presidents’ Address session at Optrafair 20/20 bringing together optical body leaders to explore themes affecting the profession – now and in the future.

Taking place on Saturday 4 April from 12.24-1.45pm, the session will see Clive joined by: Mike Burdon, president of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists; Colin Davidson, vice president of the College of Optometrists; Richard Whittington, chief operating officer at the Local Committee Support Unit; and Jonathon Bench, president of the British Contact Lens Association.

There will be presentations and discussions with the audience around the following themes: ‘The future of eye health: a collaboration; and ‘What challenges does the world of optics face over the next five to 10 years and how do we collectively overcome them?’

Another highlight of the programme will be Optical Question Time, hosted by Sarah Morgan, exploring issues such as the NHS, education, the environment, the marketplace and the future. Panellists will include Specsavers’ Doug Perkins, David Moulsdale of Optical Express, Imran Hakim of the Hakim Group, as well as practitioners and KOIs, Lynne Fernandes, Professor Nicholas Rumney and Dr Scott Mackie. There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of the session.

Lynne Fernandes

The chair of the Federation of Manufacturing Opticians, Stuart Burn, said: “Gaining the support and commitment of so many of the country’s leading experts and industry leaders for the Presidents’ Address and Optical Question Time, will provide a fantastic forum to discuss and debate the issues that really matter to the industry. Feedback from last year’s Optrafair revealed a demand for top level debate. I can assure you that Optrafair 20/20 will be well worth the wait.

“Both the Presidents’ Address and Optical Question Time will offer frank and insightful discussion and debate. Optrafair 20/20 will offer delegates the opportunity to glimpse into the future of practice and provide practitioners with some valuable thoughts on their future strategy.

Register for Optrafair 20/20 here.