National conference opens for registration

This year marks 30 years of positive impact on eye and ear care

REGISTRATION for Specsavers’ Professional Advancement Conference (PAC) has opened – with the national optical and hearing health event open to all wherever they work.

The one-day event will feature continuing professional development (CPD) sessions for optometrists, including pre-regs, dispensing and contact lens opticians, cert 4 qualified colleagues and optical assistants. There will also be audiology sessions suitable for audiologists, hearing aid dispensers, audiology practitioners and trainee clinicians during the conference that takes place at Birmingham’s International Convention Centre (ICC) on Sunday 3 November.

‘It is a packed agenda offering rewarding CPD sessions, fantastic speakers and facilitators, as well as dozens of exhibitors. There is something for everyone, and we’re looking forward to welcoming thousands of delegates from across the eye and ear health sectors,’ says Grant Duncan, director professional development at Specsavers.

There are 10 optics learning tracks with CPD sessions catering to all professional groups, covering a diverse range of topics including future practice, clinical efficiency, vision and sensory loss, presbyopia and progressive lenses, OCT, glaucoma and myopia management. Practical sessions include WOPEC MECS and glaucoma.

There will be renowned optics and audiology speakers. These include Pearse Keane, who will speak about the use of AI in future practice, and Nishani Amerasinghe, the president of the UK and Éire Glaucoma Society (UKEGS). Professor Manohar Bance will talk about gene therapy while Jenna Littlejohn will explore the international practice recommendations for the recognition and management of hearing and vision impairment in people with dementia.

Mr Duncan adds: ‘This year’s PAC is even more special because it’s the 30^th anniversary of the conference. The idea of the conference was borne from the mission of Specsavers founders, Dame Mary and Doug Perkins, to change lives through better sight and hearing – and that purpose has been in PAC’s DNA ever since.

‘There is a phrase that we use about everyone benefiting from the rising tide. In the case of the PAC, it’s about supporting the professional development of the entire eye and ear health sectors which, in turn, speaks to Doug and Dame Mary’s mission to change lives. It’s why the PAC is open to all.’

He also says that the conference has grown from the very first that welcomed several hundred delegates to the thousands of people who now attend every year.

‘Over the last three decades, more than 20,000 individuals have attended the conference and benefited from CPD that has directly supported their practice and their patients. Specsavers’ PAC has had 30 years of positive impact on eye and ear health, which is simply fantastic.

‘The PAC is definitely one of the highlights of the year for the eye and ear health sectors and I can’t wait to meet friends and colleagues from across these sectors at this year’s conference.’

To register and find out more about this year’s event, please use this link https://specsaversevents.co.uk/pac/general/home.asp.

Reflections on 30 years Specsavers Professional Advancement Conference

Optometrist Dr Josie Forte, a partner at Specsavers Plymouth, says the conference has proved to be inspiring and a CPD cornerstone for her

I’ve often heard the Specsavers PAC described as world class and I’d agree. In the last 30 years, I’ve seen it inspire so many individuals and even other Specsavers clinical conferences around the globe.

As I reflect on the conference’s past three decades, I see it as a journey through the evolution of optometry in my own professional life. I was fortunate enough to attend the first PAC events, during my time studying optometry at Cardiff University.

My outstanding memory is of Paul Carroll, the Specsavers Professional Services Director, as he narrated events and opened our eyes to a new professional world unfolding.

Back in 1994, the optometry landscape was vastly different. As students, we were just beginning to see the potential of emerging technologies and the sector itself was undergoing a transformational change. The PAC provided a unique opportunity to delve deeper into the clinical aspects we were learning about.

More importantly, it was a place where the seeds of lifelong professional relationships were planted and has become one of the key foundations of what we now know as modern CPD.

Technology has been revolutionary over the past 30 years. In the 1990s, tools and techniques were relatively basic compared to our access to sophisticated imaging technologies – including OCT – automated refraction systems, and digital record-keeping. These have all significantly enhanced our diagnostic capabilities and patient care.

Critically, with the expansion of our sector’s role in eye health, disease prevention and treatment, each PAC has showcased advancements and offered us hands-on experience and expert insights. PAC brings together leading experts, sharing their research and clinical experiences for all to learn from.

The heart of PAC remains the same – a place where professional development meets personal reunion. The chance to reconnect with old friends and make new ones, to exchange stories and experiences, has been a consistent highlight. This blend of learning and camaraderie makes PAC not just a conference, but a pivotal event in my professional calendar.

I’ve made lifelong connections that have helped me build a career in optometry across international borders, in hospital practice, to become an educator. I’m now contributing to PAC myself, as well as engaging and contributing to the work of various professional sector bodies.

My final reflection is that excellence in learning and clinical practice provides the important tools to deliver first class customer service, which has been a fundamental part of running successful businesses over the last two decades.

PAC has always been more than just a professional conference – it has become a cornerstone of my career in optometry. It continues to be a source of knowledge and inspiration for me and countless others.