The College of Optometrists

04 March 2002

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The College has appointed 14 Regional Liaison Officers. The new officers attended an induction day at the College on Tuesday 19 February 2002, where they met College Council Chairmen and secretariat, and saw firsthand the work that is currently going on at the College.

The RLOs, and the broad regions that they cover, are:

• Bryan Allport (North Wales)
• Francis Petticrew (Northern Ireland)
• Susan Bowers (Midlands)
• Christine Pirrie (Lincolnshire/ Cambridgeshire)
• Stephen Cole (Essex)
• Robert Pople (Sussex)
• Jill Ellis (Northamptonshire and Bedford)
• John Redwood (Kent)
• Gordon Ilett (South East London)
• Stuart Rose (North East London)
• Charles MacKinnon (Scotland)
• Miranda Tam (North West London)
• Nicola Moss (Hampshire and IoW)
• Michael Offord (Tyne and Wear)

The new RLOs are a team of regionally based volunteers who will provide a bridge between the membership working in the community and the College, offering greater opportunity for recognition of the concerns and needs of optometrists throughout the UK, which will assist the College in its deliberations. RLOs will inform local meetings of current decision-making at the College, collect and relay views from members on matters currently under review and respond to requests for information.

Bob Hutchinson commented, "The induction day was a great success. All of the RLOs have a great deal of enthusiasm for their new role, and I believe that they will play an important part in improving the communications between members and their Council, relaying the vital information gained from LOC areas."

RLO Gordon Ilett said "I found the day spent at the College very useful, as it gave us a clearer idea of what the College has achieved and how keen all those at the College are to help members in their professional lives. I would urge all optometrists to use this extra channel of communication to feed ideas into the College; they are keen to listen."