Your committee

Lorna Partridge, Chair

I qualified as an optometrist in 1987, and since then have worked for independent practices and in the multiple sector, both as an employee and as a locum. More recently I have been working as a specialist optometrist in glaucoma and AMD/medical retina clinics at Sussex Eye Hospital and working part-time in high street optometry.

I have been Chair of West Sussex LOC since 2018, and am also a committee member of East Sussex LOC

Mark Godfrey, Treasurer

I’m a qualified dispensing optician and I currently work as a regional manager for Thomas H. Collison Ltd based in Worthing on the Sussex Coast. I qualified way back in the early 1980’s and have spent my whole career working within various areas of dispensing optics. Over the years I have developed an interest in both Low Vision work and also paediatric dispensing and have practised in a number of hospital clinics across the region. I have served as a Committee member on the West Sussex LOC for many years and currently hold the office of Treasurer. I have also in the past been a member of the local ABDO committee and various Low Vision committees covering West Sussex and Brighton.

Liberty Harris, Administrator

Liberty joined the committee in July 2023, and works part time manning the WSLOC mailbox and sharing key information. She also organises the committee meetings and AGM.

Vicki Macken, Committee member

Vicki Macken has been in practice nearly 30 years and has been on either East or West Sussex LOC the majority of that time, taking various roles including Chairman for East Sussex. In addition Vicki worked for 10 years in a senior leadership role for Brighton and Hove PCT commissioning cataract and macula degeneration pathways.

She was also LOCSU lead for Kent, Surrey and Sussex and chairman of the first Local Eye Health Network. Now one of the owners and directors of Hassocks Eyecare Centre she also works on a sessional  basis for The Sussex Eye Hospital in Haywards Heath at the Princess Royal Hospital as a specialist optometrist in the Macula Clinic.

Catriona Gardiner, Committee member

Catriona qualified from Glasgow Caledonian University in 1990 and has worked in independent practices in Essex, Kent and Sussex. She is the owner of Gardiner Opticians in Burgess Hill, since 2012 and has held the post of Specialist Paediatric Optometrist at Sussex Eye Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital since 2002.

Lynn Stacey, Committee member

I am an Optometrist working in private independent practices and doing hospital work. I have also worked for multiples in the past and was a Domiciliary practitioner as well. I have been on the LOC for over 20 years and was Chair for over 15 years during which time I was involved in many negotiations with PCTs and CCGs including setting up the GRR and cataract pathways. Outside of work I am a keen walker and cyclist

Dilara Ceylan, Committee member

Dilara is a Resident Optometrist in a West Sussex based practice and one of the newest members of the committee

Abbas Hassam, Committee member

Abbas qualified from the University Of Bradford in 2009. He previously qualified as a DO & Contact Lens Optician.  Abbas has worked in a range of optical practices including multiples & independents & have supervised Pre-Reg DO’s.  He has been the owner of Early & Edmonds Opticians in Burgess Hill since 2018.

Fiona Broome, Committee member

I am an Optometrist working in an employed role in an independent practice in Chichester. I was a director of a small group of practices for many years and have also worked as a self-employed locum.  I am passionate about improving services and getting the recognition from the NHS for the role that Community Practices and Optometrists are contributing in primary care.

Louise Sloan, Committee member

I graduated with a degree in optometry from Aston university in 1995. Since then I have worked for high street opticians both in the independent and multiple sector as well as in the hospital eye service. I spent 6 years working as an optometrist in Australia, gaining an insight the field of optometry in a different country. I now have my own independent practice in Horsham. I have been a member of the West Sussex LOC for 3 years

Nicola Sabokbar, Committee member

I am an Independent Prescribing Optometrist working mostly in independent practices in West Sussex. I have a special interest in research and in 2020 gained a Doctor of Optometry degree at Aston university specializing in paediatric glaucoma. I also work part time in glaucoma at the Queen Victoria Hospital in East Grinstead. My hobbies include running, travel and politics

Nikita Patel, Committee member

Nikita works as a Resident Senior Optometrist in Crawley where she also supervises Pre-Reg Optometrists. She has previously qualified as a Dispensing Optician and has also done further Professional Certificates in Medical Retina and Glaucoma. Nikita has earlier done work with artificial intelligence and OCT at Google DeepMind. She is a new member of the LOC and is committed to making a contribution to primary eye care.