Judy is a pharmacist and qualified in 1997 from University of Bradford. Previously working as Director of Contractor services for Community Pharmacy Wales she stepped up as Acting Chief Executive for CPW for 6 months during 2023. She has worked for CPW since 2010 and has been heavily involved in contract negotiation and the development of the new community pharmacy contract that launched in 2022. During her time with CPW, community pharmacy in Wales has changed out of all recognition and so has the organisation and she has worked hard to build contractor and stakeholder relationships and engagement, including working alongside Optometry Wales to create some community pharmacy/ optometry briefings and training on the Common Ailments service in community pharmacy and the then Welsh Eye Care Services. Prior to working for CPW she was a Regional Committee member in her roles working as Area Managers for Rowlands Pharmacy and Lloyds Pharmacy.
Judy’s first introduction to the world of optometry was in 2006 when she was a Group store manager (area manager) for Boots and had two North Wales Boots Opticians practices under her remit.
Hannah is an independent prescribing optometrist and was a practice owner and contractor in South Wales for over 8 years. Hannah has completed the MSc in Clinical Optometry and has Professional Certificates in Glaucoma, Medical Retina and Paediatrics and is Low vision accredited. She has been a mentor and facilitator within the HEIW IP newly qualified support forum since its development and has over 10 years’ experience in clinical teaching at Cardiff University. Hannah will continue her role in the Cardiff University IP Teach and Treat Clinic and as a Designated Prescribing Practitioner on the IP clinical placement module.
Leah started her employment in the telecommunications industry as a technical support advisor. She enjoyed helping people and the challenges of resolving issues. She then had the opportunity to put her skills into helping real life situations as an emergency call handler for the Welsh Ambulance Service. Leah gained valuable interpersonal skills whilst working with the Welsh Ambulance Service and has developed a keen eye for problem solving. Leah is an avid follower of modern technology and will be putting that interest to good use as she is now organising our social media channels. As Administrator, she is also looking forward to meeting you all at the ROC meetings.
Katie qualified as an Optometrist in 2017 and has worked in both employed and self-employed roles across numerous practices, predominantly in Wales. With a strong interest in data and Excel, Katie embraced a new challenge by joining Optometry Wales as a Finance Assistant. Her practical experience with the WGOS contract provides valuable insight into its implementation and supports her work in financial analysis and reporting.