Sue Edwards is the kind of dispensing optician and practice manager every independent dreams of having. Not only is she driven to constantly improve the practice, but she is passionate about delighting patients and the role of the dispensing optician.
Despite that drive, optics wasn’t Edwards’ first calling. She first gained a degree in marketing and worked in the construction sector, rising to run a public relations department for a big construction company before moving into optics.
At first she worked with family members in practice and qualified as a DO in 1996. A short stint in another family retail business resulted in her working as a locum before joining Martin Smith Optician where she is now the DO and practice manager.
She says that her wider world experience enables her to bring more to the role but also realise that DOs don’t always get the recognition they deserve. ‘I think the role is so undervalued by the wider profession,’ she says. She wants more people to understand the skills DOs have and what they can add to the optical experience.
Subscribe for full access to this content
Thank you for visiting Optician. To read more of our content, including the latest news, analysis and interactive CPD modules, start your subscription from just £21.75.