New clinic development manager for VCHP in North

Ambitious plans to set up new VCHP clinics to provide a full optician service throughout the UK is top of the agenda, and leading that drive in the north is Lorraine Bleasdale, FBDO.

Lorraine brings a wealth of experience having been a practice manager, plus the part-time VCHP role dovetails very well with her continuing work in private practice, and as a member of the ABDO Board.

“My experience as a dispensing optician and practice manager is very useful, especially with lens and frame knowledge. This new role is showing me skills that I didn’t know I had, but in a good way. I really want to make a real difference after 30 years in optics,” said Lorraine.

“It is very upsetting that people can get to such a low stage in life, and to feel intimidated about coming into an opticians. It is all about building trust with a warm and welcoming environment to the clinics. Everyone deserves to have the same optical health care.”

Lorraine praised the amazing sponsors, including Specsavers, which is enabling the first VCHP clinic to open in Scotland, within the Crisis Skylight Centre in Edinburgh.

“The first stage in establishing a new clinic is to work with local outreach groups to identify communities that we can help. We then find a location and source the equipment, from our amazing supporters. Building a team around the clinic, with a range of management, clinical and fundraising skills is vital to the clinic’s success,” added Lorraine.

Lorraine, who works in Cumbria, has well developed insights to seeing life from different perspectives and the importance of safeguarding, having worked as a foster mother for several years.