GOC appoints two new Council Associates

We have appointed two new Council Associates, Deepali Modha and Jamie Douglas, on a two-year term.

After the success of last year’s launch, the GOC decided to extend the term of its initial Council Associates and add two further positions. All associates attend both Council meetings and the Audit, Risk, and Finance Committee. Through their contributions, the Council Associates help to diversify the experiences and perspectives voiced in decision-making. This helps the GOC to better represent the breadth of registrant views in their work.

Deepali Modha is a qualified optometrist from Hertfordshire, currently working as a Clinical Performance Consultant for Specsavers Optical Group. Since graduating from Cardiff University with a BSc Optometry, she has worked within community practice and gained wide-ranging experience from a variety of roles within the sector, including pre-registration trainee supervision, mentoring colleagues, and examining students. She has previously sat on both the College of Optometrists and Association of Optometrists Councils. Deepali is passionate about the professional development of optometrists and the role of optometry in primary care services going forward.

Jamie Douglas is a qualified dispensing optician based in Somerset. His career in the optical profession began as a trainee laboratory technician at a large multiple practice, from which he rose to team leader before deciding to pursue patient-facing care and beginning his training as an optical assistant. Since graduating in 2022 with a qualification in Ophthalmic Dispensing from Anglia Ruskin University, Jamie has practiced within the same multinational group where he began his career. He holds a particular interest in low vision and developing research fields within optics, such as myopia management.

Deepali and Jamie’s appointments began on 10 April 2023.