Profile

New term begins

As Star Wars fans traded "May the 4th be with you" greetings across the globe, a new two-year ABDO presidential term began in a galaxy not so far, far away. At a special dinner held in London on the evening of 4 May, attended by guests from the profession and industry, Daryl Newsome officially received the presidential chain of office from Jo Holmes. In turn, Kevin Gutsell began his term as vice president of the Association.

In this special profile feature, we learn a bit more about ABDO's new president and vice president, their backgrounds and their hopes for the future.

IN THE HOT SEAT

A second generation eyecare practitioner who followed his father into the optical profession, Daryl qualified as a dispensing optician (DO) in 1984. Over the past 38 years in practice, Daryl has gained experience in both multiples and independents in a variety of roles including buying, middle management, training and teaching.

He is currently a partner in three optical practices in Devon, a practical and theory examiner for ABDO, and a practical tutor preparing undergraduate students for their professional examinations. Daryl is also a qualified glazing technician, contact lens optician and minor eye conditions services optician.

NC: What or who inspired you to become a DO? DN: My father was an optometrist and my sister studied dispensing before going to Glasgow to study optometry; so I guess it was probably my sister. NC: If you weren’t a DO, what would you be? DN: Either a jeweller because I love working in detail, or an airline pilot because I love to travel.

NC: What is your greatest hope for the profession? DN: Collaboration and recognition. I would like us all to work together to expand our scope of practice and get involved with new things. For dispensing opticians to grow doesn’t mean anyone else has to become less; we can all improve and better serve our patients and, in doing so, be valued by both our colleagues and patients.

NC: What is your biggest fear for the profession? DN: Becoming a production line. I love the diversity of my role as a dispensing optician: no two days are ever the same, we have the opportunity to do so many different jobs already, and I know our scope of practice is growing all the time. The job I do now doesn’t compare to the job I was doing 10 years ago, and it will be different to the job I will be doing in 10 years' time. That’s exciting. Not developing and expanding would be my biggest fear. NC: What's been your most memorable dispense to date? DN: Probably making a hand-made frame for a gentleman in Rochdale who had special facial characteristics and had never had a pair of specs that fitted properly. One of our core competencies is taking facial measurements to make a handmade copy of a frame . It was as satisfying for me as it was pleasing for him and, of course, the whole practice buzzed about it because we all know how to do it but we do it so rarely.

NC: What is your most treasured optical item? DN: Probably my father's set of Jackson crossed cyls; strange I know but my sister Davina taught my father how to use them. He used block and fan, and along with various bits of workshop kit I inherited when he passed away, I use the cross cyls more than any of the other things. It always makes me smile.

NC: What is you biggest professional achievement to date? DN: It would be churlish to say anything other than being elected as the president of ABDO. It is an honour awarded by the membership, by voting me on to the board, confirmed by a vote of the other directors to be chairman of the board of directors – and now the president of the Association. It is a role I enjoy, and I feel thoroughly supported by a fantastic team of staff. My thanks go to every member of staff, every part of our various regional teams and every member of ABDO.

DARYL RECEIVES THE PRESIDENT'S MEDAL FROM JO HOLMES

DARYL WITH HIS WIFE YVE AT THE RECENT WCSM LIVERY DINNER, WHEN VICE PRESIDENT KEVIN RECEIVES THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL CHAIN OF OFFICE FROM DARYL

LONG-HELD AFFILIATION

A well-known figure across both industry and profession, Kevin Gutsell began his career in optics in 1984 as a trainee dispensing optician. After qualifying, he spent more than 12 years in practice, including management roles, before embarking on a career in sales. "For the next 20 years, I held various sales, marketing and professional services roles with companies supplying contact lens solutions, spectacle lenses and many other products found in practice and optical labs," says Kevin. "Within this time, and for short periods, I also spent time teaching and leading a sector trade body."

Since 2017, Kevin has owned a company supplying a range of optical products to practices and laboratories. Over the years, he has also been an ABDO distance learning tutor. "I have always enjoyed helping tomorrow's qualified dispensing opticians," he says.

As a tutor for ABDO since 1992, Kevin's close affiliation with the Association reaches back almost as far as to when he qualified. "ABDO area meetings – as they were formerly known – have always played an important part in my professional life and I became more involved with local meetings when CET became compulsory. I served as an ABDO area committee member as well as chairman."

In 2007, Kevin joined the Journal Advisory Committee [now called the Editorial Committee] of Dispensing Optics and became an ABDO College trustee in 2009. "Soon after, I was fortunate to be voted on to the ABDO board and have continued to represent the membership almost ever since," explains Kevin.

Since 2014, Kevin has represented ABDO on the Spectacle Lens Committee at the British Standards Institute and, more recently, became the editor of ABDO's Ophthalmic Lens Availability Online resource.

Speaking about the current state of play in optics, Kevin says: "The Association and the sector are facing exciting and challenging times – straight off the back of a two-year pandemic. In particular, the General Optical Council's [GOC] Call for Evidence on the Opticians Act – and its consultation on associated GOC policies – is an opportunity for dispensing opticians and the sector at large to influence updates, modernisations and scope of practice. To be vice president and then president of ABDO during this time is very exciting."

As Kevin notes, the profession is no stranger to testing times. "When you look at the history of ABDO and its predecessor, you will see times of challenge: deregulation, the end of NHS spectacles for all, the addition of VAT on sales and online supply of eyewear and contact lenses to name but a few. "Yet dispensing opticians have continued to progress during these times because of the professionalism and skills that are obtained and enhanced in practice and through training. New lens designs requiring suitable frames and accurate fitting to slow myopia in children is a perfect example of improving knowledge, understanding suitability and then communicating this new 'treatment' to patients and parents in order to improve outcomes in the future. Who would have predicted this 10 years ago?"

As Kevin settles into office, he pledges that ABDO "will continue to support members in many ways, and look to improve and increase the member benefits that sit alongside the important insurance and professional development programmes". Kevin adds: "The restrictions caused by recent events have thankfully been lifted in most cases. I hope to see many members over the next four years and understand further the challenges facing dispensing opticians and eye healthcare at large."

ABDO VICE PRESIDENT, KEVIN GUTSELL