Dispensing and contact lens opticians have been appointed to the General Optical Council’s hearings panel and will sit on fitness to practise and registrant appeals committees.
The 10 new appointments will add their experiences to the panel of over 40 members, which also included optometrists and lay members.
Their role will be to help the GOC uphold high standards in the optical professions and aid its mission of public protection.
The GOC said the varied experience of the appointees would ensure practical insight and guidance was included in the panel’s work.
Appointees included: Claire Anstee, who is owner and director of Anstee & Proctor Opticians; Philip Bird, who is a joint venture partner in four Specsavers practices; and Sarah Castree, who is a lecturer in applied optics at City and Islington College.
Dispensing opticians included: Sue Deal, Millie Fellows, Suzana Gorda, Leigh Nelson, Jill Perry and Lesley Reid; plus contact lens optician, Dr Nahid Sadr-Kazemi Bennett.
