General Optical Council

Geoff Harris was appointed as Chair of the General Optical Council from January 2009. Appointed to the GOC in 2004 as a Privy Council nominee, Geoff Harris is also chair of the South Central Strategic Health Authority. Married with four children, Geoff lives in Buckinghamshire and is a magistrate on the central Buckinghamshire bench.

Background

• Non executive director and Chair of Buckinghamshire Mental Health NHS Trust
• Former member of the Public Health Laboratory Service
• Non executive director of Stoke Mandeville Hospital NHS Trust, covering both the general hospital and the National Spinal Injuries Centre
• Specialist interests in corporate and clinical governance

Morag Alexander OBE lives in Edinburgh. Morag is currently chair of the statutory Scotland Committee of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, and a board member of the GB body.

Background

• Founding convener (chair) of the Scottish Social Services Council, the professional regulator for the social work and social care workforce in Scotland.
• Member posts with: member of court, Queen Margaret University Edinburgh; Care Commission Scotland
• Researcher, editor and freelance journalist for various organisations
• Founding director for Training 2000: Scottish Alliance for Women’s Training
• Chair of Fair Play Scotland
• Director for Scotland of the Equal Opportunities Commission
• Member posts with: Turning Point Scotland; Partnership for a Parliament; Scottish Senate of the Windsor Meetings; Committee of Inquiry into Student Finance; Expert Panel on Procedures and Standing orders in the Scottish Parliament; Women’s Advisory Group to Scottish ministers
• Chair of the Early Years Advisory Group of Children in Scotland.

Anna Bradley lives in Colchester. Anna is the non-executive chairman of the Communications Consumer Panel, and non-executive chairman of the Soil Association Organic Standards Board. She is a non-executive director for the Soil Association Certification Limited, and a member of the Certification Scrutiny Committee.

Background

• Divisional director for the Financial Services Authority (FSA)
• Chief executive for the National Consumer Council (NCC)
• Chief executive for the Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence (ISDD)
• Member and non-executive posts include: DEFRA Independent Review of Avian Quarantine; DEFRA Science Advisory Council and chair of the DEFRA Science Advisory Council Horizon Scanning Programme; member of the Biotechnology Commission; member of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs; trustee of the Patients’ Association
• Member roles on a range of advisory groups including: Department of Trade and Industry, Cabinet Office, Camelot and the Economic and Social Research Council.

Paul Carroll lives in Preston. A qualified optometrist, Paul is currently Chair of the Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians (FODO). He is a business advisor to the GOC’s Education Committee, and is an external examiner for City University.

Background

• Graduated from Aston University in 1987 with a BSc Honours in Optometry and Vision Science
• Past chairman of JOCEU
• Gained an MBA in 2002
• Founded Anglia Distance Learning Ltd. 

Brian Coulter OBE lives in Northern Ireland. He is currently a non-executive member of the Human Tissue Authority, and a former member of the Independent Tribunal Service. Brian was awarded an OBE for his services to Social Housing in Northern Ireland in 2003.

Background

• Prisoner Ombudsman for Northern Ireland
• Chief executive and company secretary of the FOLD GROUP Ltd
• Assistant Director of Social Services for the Eastern Health and Social Services Board
• In 1985 was awarded a European Fellowship to study services for older persons in Scandinavia
• Public appointment roles include: founder chairman of the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (the statutory regulator for Health and Social Services in Northern Ireland); chairman of the Eastern Health and Social Services Council; member of the General Dental Council; chairman of Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations; Director of Prospects, and past secretary for Lisburn Abbeyfield Society; chairman of Parkview Special School board of governors; member of Lisburn YMCA Steering Group. 

Peter Douglas lives in East Sussex. Peter is currently a member of the DIUS Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council’s Resource Audit Committee; and a non-executive director and audit chair of the Sussex Downs and Weald PCT. He is also a and a member of the Ashridge Business School Audit Committee.

Background

• Former Council Member of the Health Professions Council
• Non-executive roles include: Steering Board member and Audit Committee chair for the DIUS National Weights and Measures Laboratory
• Clerk to the Disciplinary Tribunal on the Taxation Disciplinary Board
• Chief executive of Regent’s College
• Director of Professional Standards at CIMA
• Chartered accountant at HLB Kidsons, and past national managing partner.

Rob Hogan lives in Leicestershire. He is president of the College of Optometrists. Rob is Head of Professional Services for Boots Opticians.

Background

• Graduated from Aston University in 1980 and completed a PhD in 1985
• Chairman of DOCET, and of the Continuing Professional Development Working Party; senior examiner for the College’s Professional Qualifying Examinations; and trustee of the European Academy of Optometry and Optics
• Member roles include: College of Optometrists Governance Group; Electoral College of the College of Optometrists; Routes to Fellowship Working Group; Guidance Review Group; Drugs Advisory Board; executive of Vision 2020 UK; JOCEU; UK Vision Strategy Group; FODO Education and Professional Standards Committee; Birmingham LOC.

Kevin Lewis lives in Essex. As an independent optometrist, Kevin is currently the sole trader and principal optometrist with Euin Steele & Partners Optometrists; and K Lewis & Partners Optometrists. He is a pre-registration student adviser and mentor at the College of Optometrists, and a board member on the Board of Trustees.

Background

• Graduated from City University in 1977
• Immediate past president of the College of Optometrists
• Senior examiner for the College’s Professional Qualifying Examinations
• Qualified fellow of the British Optical Association; fellow of The Worshipful Company of Spectacle Makers; and foundation fellow of the College of Optometrists
• Gained an Advanced Diploma in Contact Lens Practice in 1981
• Chair posts with the Essex Optical Society, the British Association of the Young Optometrists, and honorary course convenor/adviser to the Pre-Registration Course Organisation.

Liam Kite lives in Lincolnshire. He is currently senior lecturer in optometry and ophthalmic dispensing, Pathway Leader in ophthalmic dispensing and Admissions Tutor at Anglia Ruskin University. Liam is also a member of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO).

Background

• Graduated from the Association of British Dispensing Opticians Distance Learning Institute in 1987
• Practical and theoretical examiner for ABDO
• Course tutor for the ABDO Distance Learning Institute
• Course tutor for the Worshipful Company of Spectacle Manufacturers
• Liam coaches the local rugby club in his spare time.

Fiona Peel lives in Cardiff. Fiona is currently chair of the local Cardiff Health Board. She is also a former lay member of the General Medical Council and is chair of the Cancer Services Co-ordinating Group for Wales.

Background

• Chair of the Cardiac Network Co-ordinating Group
• Lay member of the merged Council of Cardiff University
• Chair of the Merger Commission for the Cardiff University and UWCM
• Lay member of the Marix Scientific Advisory Committee
• Chair of the Gwent Health Authority
• Council member for University of Wales College of Medicine.

Nicholas Rumney lives in Hereford. He is a qualified optometrist and presently managing director of BBR Optometry Ltd, and director of Monnow Eyecare Ltd. Nick is a visiting lecturer at the University of Manchester.

Background

• Graduated Cardiff 1980 with a BSc Hons
• Graduated Melbourne (Australia) MScOptom in 1986
• Fellow of the College of Optometrists
• Senior examiner for the College of Optometrists
• Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry
• Fellow of the British Contact Lens Association
• Member of the American Academy of Optometry International Admissions Committee
• Active in the delivery of continuing education to optometrists
• Clinical interests include: low vision, primary care, therapeutics and clinical instrumentation.

James Russell lives in Canterbury. He currently works in practice for Boots Opticians as a contact lens optician.

Background

• Past president of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO)
• Past chairman of the ABDO in Scotland, where he also served as a member of local optometric committees
• Student dispensing optician and contact lens tutor for Dollond & Aitchison
• Part-time contact lens and ophthalmic dispensing lecturer at ABDO College
• Founder Fellow of the European Academy of Optometry and Optics
• Liveryman of the SMC
• UK and overseas examiner for the practical qualifying ABDO examinations.