Workplace Guide: Creating access via communication

Optician Award-winning Clare Pearce always knew she wanted to work in healthcare and help people, which eventually led her to optometry. As a wearer of spectacles from a young age, she was familiar with going to the opticians and it fit with her criteria.

Pearce went to the University of Cardiff and took a job in her third year at Specsavers in Bridgend where she also completed her pre-registration year. She says her eight years at Specsavers was a great experience and served her well because of how busy the practice was.

‘Working in a multiple makes your clinical skills smoother quite quickly. I saw a big range of pathology, which is great when you’re fresh out of university and it was helpful to work with other experienced optometrists.’