Working alongside colleagues from dentistry, pharmacy and other medical services, David from Barry, South Glamorgan, provides the Welsh Government with advice on eye health and optometric services.
He was appointed to the post in 2017 and has been a lifelong member of the College. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, David ensured effective eye care services to protect and support patients and practitioners and worked closely with the College. This included the progression of independent prescribing and wet AMD services, both of which reduced demand for hospital ophthalmology services in Wales. More recently, David has been central to the implementation of the new Wales General Ophthalmic Services that came into effect in autumn 2023, creating a cultural change within optometry and eye health, and transforming eye health pathways in Wales.
Daniel Hardiman McCartney is a College of Optometrists Clinical Adviser and a close peer of David. He says:
“I am delighted to see David’s longstanding work and achievements recognised in the New Year Honours with an OBE. David has been pivotal to the evolution of Welsh eye care, leading significant transformation to eye care services at every level and placing optometry at the heart of those changes for the benefit of every Welsh citizen.
“The reforms enable better utilisation of enhanced optometric services and advanced scope of practice for both optometrists and dispensing opticians.
“I hope David’s achievement inspires the whole profession as we gain ever greater recognition of optometry across the UK and continue to bring optometry to the forefront of primary care. I wish David enormous congratulations on this honour and much-deserved recognition.”