Expressions of interest for Communities of Practise and Education, Rural and Remote

Optometry Australia remains committed to supporting practitioners and improving community access to eye care.

Following the success of our Communities of Practise and Education group for glaucoma, Optometry Australia is convening a new Community of Practise and Education with a focus on practitioners working in rural and remote regions.

Optometrists practising in these communities often face exceptional challenges, situations and emergencies – making this a unique area of practise. This new group will consist of a small number of clinicians who have had experience practising in these circumstances for a while, and clinicians who are either early career optometrists, new to this environment or wish to increase their confidence or scope of care.

The group will have virtual meetings across the course of two years in which the goal is to foster support, mentorship and education in evidence-based practise.

We are looking to speak to Optometry Australia members who:

• Are new to providing rural or regional care and wish to have mentorship and support; OR
• Are experienced clinicians keen to participate in a group of engaged optometrists passionate about the challenges faced by rural and remote optometrists;
• Have the desire and capacity to enact change in their practice;
• Have a special interest in full scope optometry.

The group will meet virtually every 6-8 weeks (this is flexible), and we especially encourage experienced practitioners and those already participating in shared care arrangements to apply.

If you are interested in applying, please direct your application to Cassandra Haines at c.haines@optometry.org.au with your name, practice location, member number and a short (no more than 300 words) reply to the following questions:

• What do you think is the biggest challenge facing you in your rural and regional practice setting?
• What would you like to learn, gain or discuss most as part of this group?

Expressions of interests close Tuesday 12 July 2022. For any questions, please email c.haines@optometry.org.au as soon as possible.