Specsavers appoints dispensing optician Emily Head to UK optics board

Specsavers appoints dispensing optician Emily Head to UK optics board

Specsavers has named Emily Head, a dispensing optician as a member of its UK optics board – further ensuring DOs are represented at the highest level.

Emily’s appointment reflects Specsavers’ recognition of the vital role dispensing opticians play in delivering high-quality patient care and driving successful community practices.

Starting her career in optics at just 16, Emily’s journey is a powerful example of the opportunity within the profession. After working at her local Specsavers practice, she joined Specsavers full-time at 18, qualifying as a DO by the age of 21 and becoming a practice manager in the same year. By 27, she had purchased her own business, and she now leads a practice in Christchurch, Dorset.

‘I absolutely love what I do. There’s no ceiling in this profession,’ says Emily.

Her career has also included international experience, managing two Specsavers practices in central Sydney, Australia, at just 24. ‘It was an amazing experience,’ she says.

Returning to the UK to be closer to family, Emily went on to take ownership of the Christchurch practice where she had previously locumed. Alongside running her practice, she now holds multiple roles across the Specsavers partnership – including partner mentoring, partner succession assessments and serving as divisional partner chair.

In her new board role, she is a voice for both dispensing and retail colleagues. ‘Having DOs in a practice is imperative for success. For me, DOs are also the bridge between clinical expertise and retail delivery.

‘There’s a clinical aspect that really matters on the shop floor – you improve dispensing, you support the team, and you create a resource that doesn’t interrupt the test room.’

Emily is also passionate about attracting new talent into the profession and raising awareness of optics as a career choice. ‘It’s one of the best careers out there,’ she says.

Beyond her professional work, Emily is a local councillor and is actively involved in community initiatives, including supporting young people with career development.

As a Specsavers expert who cares, she adds: ‘I want to leave the planet in a better place than I found it. If I can change patients and colleagues’ lives, then that’s exactly what I want to do.’