NEG CONFERENCE PREVIEW
Get with the programme “MOST VARIED EVER LINE-UP” THIS YEAR’S NEG CONFERENCE, TITLED ‘TOOLS FOR SUCCESS’, WILL BE THE MOST VARIED PROGRAMME EVER PUT TOGETHER – WITH WORLD CLASS SPEAKERS AND CONTENT THAT WILL IMPACT EVERY NEG MEMBER ACROSS THE COUNTRY
“Having not been able to meet up with other NEG members since June 2019, the conference will offer a great opportunity to catch up with like-minded professionals to discuss the business and clinical elements of independent practice,” said Phil Mullins, NEG operations director. “Being held at the DeVere Staverton Estate Hotel, near Daventry on the 26 and 27 September, we look forward to welcoming you to a Covid-safe event in a great location, with the following great programme.”
SUNDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 1:30pm: Registration and coffee 2pm: ‘The post pandemic practice’ by Andy Clark Andy Clark from Practice Building and the NEG Business Club will lead this interactive workshop illustrating how to significantly boost the lifetime value of patients to the business. He will highlight the importance of bespoke planned eyecare and situational dispensing when coupled with actively inviting patients back more frequently, and at more opportunistic times. Andy will go on to reveal the power of encouraging the patient to return to the practice when they want to, not only when their eye examination is due, highlighting how this increases their willingness to purchase more. He will also demonstrate how to successfully recommend more products and make the most out of the opportunities presented by offering affordable eyewear. “The aim is to increase profitability by working smarter not harder, with the added benefit of boosting job satisfaction,” says Andy.
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Vision Now MAY 2021
Andy Clark returned to university after qualifying as an optometrist to study business, before building two large practices of his own. He is an accomplished presenter and passionate about training and development that creates long-lasting changes. This passion helped him win a National Training Award for his Optometrist Development Programme, and he was cowinner of an Optician Award for the Dry Eye Project. Andy founded Practice Building in 2010. Since then, he and his team have been working very closely with hundreds of independent practice owners helping them to build secure and profitable practices.
4pm: Coffee break 4:20pm: ‘Myopia and its management: it’s all a bit of a blur!’ by Andy Sanders (CET) Myopia is a significant global public health and socioeconomic problem and has been steadily increasing in recent decades. It is estimated that by 2050, around 50 per cent of the world’s population will be myopic. In this talk, Andy will explore the latest insights related to the proposed mechanisms that drive myopia, the consequences of myopia, as well as management interventions and their reported efficacy. Andy Sanders is a qualified dispensing optician (DO) with more than 37 years’ experience in manufacturing and technical dispensing optics. He has worked for large chains, smaller regional groups and independent High Street practice. He is professional services director for Hoya Lens UK, responsible for in-house company training as well as creating and delivering seminars on lens products, prescription and
task analysis. Andy was a regular lecturer and tutor at Hoya’s European facility in Budapest, and is currently chair of the Optical Suppliers Association’s Standards Panel and Lens Focus Group.
MONDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 8am: Registration, tea and coffee in the exhibition hall 9am: ‘Menicon’s myopia control system in full Bloom’ by Josie Barlow In this lecture, Josie will look at the prevalence of myopia and discuss the current treatment options for myopia management and introduce Menicon Bloom – a complete and comprehensive system to treat myopia progression. Menicon Bloom uses on-label products, care systems, protocols and software allowing the practitioner to monitor and communicate with the patient – improving treatment outcomes and compliance. Josie will also explore how offering myopia managment treatments can enhance and build a practice, and create long-term patients while reducing the risk of drop-out. Josie is a qualified DO and contact lens optician (CLO), with more than 30 years’ experience in both independent and multiple practice. For more than 15 years, she has worked for contact lens manufacturers, and has developed and delivered CET and other lectures on a wide range of contact lens corrections. She specialises in complex lens fitting, advising peers in this area. Josie has conducted lectures to optometrists, CLOs and DOs, and facilitated CET-accredited workshops at industry meetings and manufacturer facilities.
