Cheshire LOC Committee

Fionnuala Stott, Chair

Fionnuala Stott is a self employed Optometrist. She has been a member of Cheshire LOC for the past 3 years. During that time Fionnuala has been LOC Secretary and Chair of Cheshire Primary Eye Care Services. More recently, she has been appointed as a Director of Primary Eye Care Services and Chair of Cheshire LOC.

Phil Cooke, Treasurer

Phil Cooke joined the committee in 2017 and became the Treasurer in 2018. Phil currently work as a Slit Lamp examiner/grader on the Cheshire NHS diabetic retinal screening programme and also as a locum around Cheshire for various multiple and independent practices.

Jill Umpleby, CPD Officer

Jill Umpleby has been a qualified Dispensing Optician for 45 years. Jill is currently the CPD Officer for Cheshire LOC. Jill is also supports the ABDO Lead for the North and helps to run CPD events for ABDO.

Amy Thompson, Secretary

Amy Thompson is an independent optometrist working in Congleton, Cheshire. Amy has been on the Cheshire LOC for over 10 years and previously acted as the East Cheshire Glaucoma Repeat Reading CGPL. Amy now helps to represent East Cheshire at meetings with the CCG, act as the PEC liaison officer and helps arrange local CPD events.

Jane Smellie

Jane Smellie has been practicing Optometry since 1991. She owns 3 practices in Cheshire, Shropshire and Wrexham and has interests in many areas of optometry including specialist contact lens fitting and Visual Stress.

Andy Riley

Andrew Riley is an Optometrist who owns Taylors Optometrists in Winsford Cheshire. He has been a member of the LOC since 2019. He has been involved with LOC’s since he qualified in 2000 and was Chairman of Optometry Wales from 2016-19. He has a special interest in Paediatrics and Learning Disabilities.

Harinder Notay

Harinder Notay has been qualified as an optometrist since 1993 and has worked as a community optometrist since then and mostly in Northwich. Harinder was reappointed on the Cheshire Local Optical Committee in 2018, her particular interest is in Vale Royal and South Cheshire CCG engagement for enhanced optical pathways. Harinder has completed Independent Prescribing in Optometry in 2017, leading to sessional work at Leighton Hospital in anterior eye casualty clinics. Harinder sees working both in hospital and the community has given her a view of both perspectives when reviewing enhanced optical pathways.

Stephen Halpin

Stephen qualified in 1998 and has worked for multiples, has been a high street franchise owner and now works in independent practice in Northwich. He has a long track record as a Pre Reg supervisor and Stephen is a keen advocate of all aspects of shared care schemes.

Cahir Mullan

Cahir is the franchisee holder of four stores within Cheshire. He is keen to play his part in giving back to optics through the work of the LOC. He wants to support the great work going on around Enhanced Services by helping to ensure Enhanced Services are viable in our ever increasing capacity limited clinics. In particular to help engage multiples and their employed optometrists to participate & offer all viable Enhanced Services available. This will help patient choice and support the increasing workload within the area.

Mark Simpson

After leaving Cardiff University in 2009 with a degree in Optometry I worked in several practices across Cheshire and the Wirral. During this time I completed a number of post graduate courses in diabetic retinopathy screening, optical leadership, clinical audit and independent prescribing.

For the Cheshire LOC I have carried out a number of roles including clinical governance lead, secretary and website manager.

My main interests are negotiating with Commissioners and Ophthalmology teams to look into getting new enhanced services for Cheshire. I’ve previously been involved in helping to bring CUES and post cataract services to the area.

In 2018 my wife and I became the directors of Allister and Simpson Opticians, which is based in Neston, Cheshire.

Helen Counsell

Helen qualified in 1997 working in the hospital system. She moved to the Cheshire area in 2001 having worked in multiple, independent and hospital roles. She is currently working as an Optometrist and Clinical Coach for Bayfields Opticians based in the Chester practice.

Having just recently left a sessional role at Warrington hospital after 17 years, she has a good understanding of both high street and HES Optometry and therefore her interest lies in enhancing the links and communication between primary and secondary care.