New AOP members elected to join Hospital Optometrists Committee

The appointment of Lucy Andrews and Claire Melvin confirmed at the AOP’s Hospital and Specialty Optometrists Conference

The Association of Optometrists (AOP) welcomes two new members to its Hospital Optometrists Committee (HOC), which represents and supports the interests of optometrists employed in hospital services. The Committee develops good practice and upholds high standards of post-graduate education within hospital optometry.

The two newly appointed members are Lucy Andrews, Lead Optometrist at Arrowe Park Hospital, and Claire Melvin, Deputy Head Optometrist at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

The new Committee members were announced at the Hospital and Specialty Optometrists Conference (HSOC) held at the University of Warwick from 4 to 5 November, following an online election process.

During the conference, the incumbent HOC Chair and AOP Council representative, Vijay Anand, was also appointed for a further year in post.

The conference, which brought together professionals from primary and secondary care, provided an extensive education programme to fit the learning needs of all practitioners, while providing a platform for networking and sharing best practice for the benefit of patients.

Chair of the AOP Board and Council, Emma Spofforth said: “We are pleased to welcome our new members who will undoubtedly add value to the Committee from their years of experience in a variety of hospital settings. Their contributions will support vital communications between hospital optometrists and other practitioners.

“We thank all six members that put themselves forward in this year’s election and commend the HOC Committee Chair as he continues to lead the Committee for another year.”

The appointed HOC members’ term of office runs from the HSOC in 2023 until the HSOC in 2026.