Our Committee

CHAIR: BRYONY ALLEN

To contact Bryony please email: ballen@hampshireloc.org.uk

VICE CHAIR: BETH MAUNDER

Beth qualified as an Optometrist in 2007 and has continued to work at the same independent practice (Arnold’s Opticians) ever since.  In 2020, Beth became the practice’s clinical and communication manager. This has given her the opportunity to expand her role outside of clinic time. Beth was co-opted to the LOC in 2021 and is excited to be involved with Hampshire LOC. Beth is keen to help work towards Optometry as a profession becoming more recognised for the important work we do for our patients. Outside of the world of optics, Beth has two crazy little boys who keep her on my toes and loves to escape to her garden.

BUSINESS MANAGER: IAN SILK

Following thirteen years managing the Probity team at the HIOW PPSA and being responsible for visiting NHS GOS contractors and conducting PPV visits together with a background in administration and service development, Ian took the role of Business Manager within Hampshire LOC in December 2014. Ian supports the LOC with all its functions from CPD event coordination to managing committee meetings. Ian liaises with Integrated Care Boards, NHS England, Hospital Eye Services (HES), Primary Care Support England (Capita), LOC Support Unit (LOCSU) , Primary Eyecare Services Ltd & other stakeholders, attending meetings together with committee members.

To contact Ian please email: isilk@hampshireloc.org.uk

TREASURER: DENISE CONNOR

Denise’s first taste of the optical business was over 25 years ago as a teenager working for Specsavers. After a career in scientific/medical journal publishing, Denise was drawn back to the profession with the desire to provide professional and ethical eyecare for all. Denise been a fully qualified Optometrist since 2007 and working for Boots Opticians in Hampshire since 2011. Denise has extensive experience in both high street and domiciliary practice and is a member of the GOC Fitness to Practice Hearings Panel. Denise is passionate about working in the LOC to secure the best clinical opportunities for Optometrists, DOs and CLOs in Hampshire.

VICE TREASURER: HANNAH PATTISON

Hannah graduated from Cardiff university in 2015 and  started off working for Boots Opticians before venturing into independent practice. Hannah has been co-opted onto the LOC committee in order to investigate current, and options for future, paediatric eyecare services. Public awareness of the importance of regular eye checks, especially children, has always been on Hannah’s heart and part of the initial reason for studying optometry. She is keen to develop her skills in paediatric eyecare and encourage good relationships between primary and secondary eyecare. She is looking forward to the opportunities that being on the LOC committee will provide in order to network with the wider optical community. Outside of work she has many interests, but the most recent addition keeping her on her toes is her new kitten, Kitkat.

BILL VANCE

Bill has been an Optometrist for over 30 years. Since July 1991, Bill has been a Joint Venture Partner with Specsavers Opticians, and now works in Havant and in Waterlooville. Bill was a founding member of Specsavers Professional Advancement Committee and was on the training board for several years. Bill has served actively on the LOC for over 15 years and has a keen interest in Clinical Governance, passionately believing that the future holds change for all who work with CCG’s and that brings both threat and opportunity. Bill sees the next few years as an exciting time for Community Optometry. In 2021 Bill handed over the role of Treasurer to Denise Connor.

KATIE ATKINS

Katie graduated from Cardiff University in 2016. Initially working in a multiple setting, moving to the independent sector in 2020 where she now work for Rawling Opticians. Katie joined the committee in 2021 and hopes that she can represent and support her peers across the county to deliver eye care in the most efficient and effective way for both practitioner and patient.

ZABIR ALI

Zabir Ali is Founder and Managing Director of Wessex Optical. He grew up in a traditional Pakistani family in Birmingham where he attended the local comprehensive, before studying Optometry at Aston University. He qualified in 2008. He immediately joined Boots Opticians, gaining experience in various stores. Passionate about his work, Zabir envisaged creating a different kind of opticians offering a whole range of specialist eye-care accessible under one, high-street roof. In 2012, with backing from Lloyds Bank and investing his own savings, at aged just 26, Zabir took on his first franchise: Boots Opticians New Milton, Hampshire. Ten years on, Zabir is the award-winning franchise-holder of five Boots Opticians across Hampshire and Dorset with a sixth due to open this year. And whilst building up his award-winning business, somehow, along the way, in 2021, he found time to complete his independent prescribing masters. Not bad for a working class lad from Birmingham.

JACQUELINE LAMB

Jacqueline qualified as an optometrist at Aston University in 1983. She worked on the Isle of Wight before briefly returning to New Zealand where she practised as locum across both North and South Islands. Coming back to the UK in 1987 she combined hospital with high street optometry in independent practice. In 1989 she opened her own part-time independent practice. In 1991 she completed the Diploma in Contact Lens Practice. Her extensive career in hospital optometry began at Southampton Eye Hospital in 1987 and 14 years later she was their Principal Optometrist and Head of Department. She then took over as Consultant and Head of Optometry Service in Birmingham and Midland Eye Hospital. She still combined this with her part-time practice on the Isle of Wight. She left Birmingham after 10 years to continue in the NHS as Principal at St Marys Hospital on the Isle of Wight, also starting a family. Apart from optometry, Jacqui has all the time served in a Medical Unit of the British Army (V), she has a substantial garden and is predominantly self sufficient during the summer, she’s a school governor – and in her free time makes hand built ceramics.

MARK UNDERWOOD

Mark is a second generation Dispensing Optician after his father. He has worked in a wide variety of optical practice, raging from independents to multiples to domiciliary. He bought his own practice in late 2015 and has now expanded to 3 practices across Hampshire.

New Committee Members

We are always keen to chat to anyone who’s interested in the work of the LOC. If you think you might like to join our LOC or want to know more about it, please contact our chair, Bryony – ballen@hampshireloc.org.uk