‘I know that when I refer someone to her clinic, they are going to be given the best care and service possible.’ With glowing compliments like this from her colleagues, mobile contact lens practitioner Jacqui Hay is proving be an indispensable member of the Duncan and Todd group.
Dividing her time between three separate practices in Dyce, Ellon and Peterhead, Hay spends most of her week driving across the north-east of Scotland where she encourages patients to try contact lenses – no matter the complexity of their prescription.
Having qualified as a contact lens optician in 1999, the eye care professional began life on the road 14 years ago and has not looked back since. ‘I was the first contact lens optician that [Duncan and Todd] had ever had. The group never really had contact lens clinic days, so we decided to give it a go in a couple of branches and it became a great success,’ says Hay.
In April, the Scottish practitioner was recognised for her efforts as she was named Contact Lens Practitioner of Year 2017, sponsored by Alcon, after being nominated by the company’s Ellon branch. In addition to reflecting on an evening of conversation with fellow professionals, Hay recalls going head to head with one of her closest colleagues Mandy Barker to clinch the Optician title.
‘I was delighted, but quite shocked,’ she remembers. ‘Mandy is a good friend of mine and we worked together for years, so we were really chuffed that the two of us made the category. We always expected the other one to win, so I was delighted,’ she says.
Despite holding managerial positions at Duncan and Todd’s Stonehaven and West Hill branches, the mother of two says she decided to switch her focus to contact lenses to fulfil a longstanding enthusiasm for the practice. ‘I’ve always been interested in contact lenses. I got my first specs at the age of five and I was fitted with contact lenses when I was 17 and the benefit was massive,’ she says.
Customer service is one of Hay’s top priorities when treating patients. Above all, she explains that providing a ‘high level of care and attention’ is the key to ensuring that patients leave with a ‘smile on their face’.
Hay makes it her mission to educate people about their lenses and says it is important to let them experience the benefits for themselves. Allowing patients to test the softness of the lens with their hands is just one of her techniques.
Understanding the needs of her patients is Hay’s greatest triumph as she insists that ‘every patient is different’. Consequently, the practitioner’s willingness to tailor her service to the needs of the patient has led to several success stories.
‘I had a lovely lady recently, she was in her late 50s and she wasn’t sure about contact lenses at all. She said that she was quite nervous, but wanted to try contact lenses,’ Hay recalls.
‘When we put the lenses in, she couldn’t believe how good her vision was. Her eyes just welled up and she said that she had the eyes she had 20 years ago. At her follow-up appointment, the woman said that I’d completely changed her life and that she now cared more about her appearance because I’d given her confidence,’ she says.
For many professionals, the thought of working between three practices is a confusing prospect. However, switching between practices is not something that fazes the award winner, who explains that good communication and experience is the secret to ensuring a quality service.
‘It’s just routine,’ says Hay. ‘Because I’ve worked in a few branches and have worked full-time before, the optoms know they can contact me, phone me or email me for advice or to ask a question,’ she explains.
Despite making organisation one of her priorities, the award winner admits there was one occasion when she almost drove to the wrong practice by mistake. ‘Ellon is a new branch to me and I started on the road to Ellon, but I automatically headed on to Peterhead. Thankfully I realised not too far up the road’ she chuckles.
Insisting she has no plans to stop being a mobile practitioner, Hay was asked if she would look to increase the number of practices she visits in the future.
‘At the moment, I do my three days, I’ve got two boys that are primary school age, so it works really well at the moment what with myself and my family life. Who knows? When they get older, I might well add to my working week. But, at the moment three branches work just fine,’ she says.
Contact Lens Practitioner of the year 2017
Winner: Jacqui Hay, Duncan and Todd
Shortlisted: Amanda Barker, Duncan and Todd Opticians
