One of the most common responses Optician receives from winners of its prestigious awards is: ‘I didn’t know they were won by people like me.’
Nowhere is this more true than for the Contact Lens Practitioner of the Year Award, sponsored by Alcon, which year after year manages to find the unsung heroes of the contact lens fitting sector. Contact lenses is an area of practice that boasts many high profile practitioners, indeed some of those big names have won the award in recent years. Where Alcon and Optician see the power of the Contact Lens Practitioner of the Year Award is in identifying and rewarding excellence in everyday practice.
While our winners are outstanding in their field they achieve that not through academic research or educational prowess but by care for their patients and changing people’s lives on the high street.
Suzanne Czerwinski of Specsavers Nottingham, who won the award in 2016, said a range of qualities were needed to win the award but above all passion. ‘I believe that a great CL practitioner is passionate about their role, in all aspects, including clinical, educational and commercial. They want to make a difference, whether that is to a low myope wearing dailies or a complex keratoconic, and encourage the team they work alongside via training to shout about contact lenses and grow the multifocal sector, address dry eye issues and impact the industry in some aspect.’
Nick Howard (pictured), who won the award in 2012, also points to the holistic range of skills. ‘Energy, enthusiasm, a moderate to high skill set, but above all a dedication to the vocation – and a clear indication that one is prepared to go the extra mile – in all aspects,’ he says. That might include patient management, continuing education and personal development but also commercial awareness, marketing initiatives. ‘Above all a genuine desire to be able to provide something above and beyond ordinary for the patient in the chair.’
How our winners came to be entered for the awards also tells a tale about the role other practice staff play in putting their contact lens practitioner colleagues forward. ‘My colleague forwarded the nomination on my behalf,’ says Howard. ‘The nomination was based on what she had seen first hand from working with me in both clinical and coaching sessions. I did not believe I stood a chance of success, considering the quality and profile of previous entrants and winners.’
Czerwinski’s entry was also prompted by workmates. ‘A colleague of mine once said that I: “had changed the way we deal with contact lenses”. In a large multiple practice, working with 12 optometrists and pre-regs, I am the principal CLO. My goal after qualifying was to grow our business by telling everyone about contact lenses. As we grew, another colleague nominated me because of the impact I had on our business.’
Despite their success both consider themselves everyday practitioners. ‘I would consider myself to be a regular practitioner as I see regular (and some more complex) patients on a daily basis,’ says Czerwinski.’ I love the variety of the job. I remember reading a great quote once which said ‘If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way. I can appreciate that fitting CL’s isn’t like working in the ER department of a hospital but every day I see the positive impact it has on people’s quality of life.’ And that does not just mean patients but working with and training colleagues as well.
Another element of the award that previous winners stress is that preparing for it is a great way of reviewing what you have achieved. Wisely Czerwinski says her nominator’s first port of call was the category description. ‘We read the specific award criteria and looked for evidence of how I fulfilled the criteria for each section and then gathered evidence that could be included in the entry. As my colleague nominated me, he wrote the entry and linked it to the supporting evidence that I created. It took more time than anticipated but even if it isn’t a win, it is a fantastic personal review of your own contribution to the profession,’ she says.
Howard’s nominator also wrote his entry based on her observations of his work. ‘She then requested that I fully supported the entry with factual evidence and references from patients and recognised key opinion leaders. Possibly the reference with greatest overall impact came from a group of fellow professionals in my locality with whom I regularly and voluntarily shared ideas and clinical pearls. Peer reviews long before peer reviews became compulsory.’
Optician often calls on award winners to help judge different awards categories in subsequent years to capture the passion they have for the profession. Howard says if he were judging the Contact Lens Practitioner Award he would look for a well-rounded professional. ‘Personally, I would look for someone with a broad mix of talents and skills, and also someone who is comfortable to step outside ‘square thinking’ patterns. That x-factor is apparent in very special professionals. Genuine enthusiasm that oozes from every pore.’
Changing lives is where Czerwinski puts the emphasis. ‘I would be looking for someone who demonstrates their passion to make a difference as a CL practitioner, fitting young children through to presbyopes. Recommending CLs to all and realising that there is a lens available for most people is a great starting point. As practitioners, if we don’t talk about contact lenses more, then nobody else will. We are the ones who can grow the industry and inspire more people to wear contact lenses.’
