Public Health and Leadership in Eye Care 2025 (ACO PHLEC)

Public Health and Leadership in Eye Care 2025 (ACO PHLEC)

Date: 8/07/2025 (AEST)

Venue: Online, VIC, 3053

Provider: Australian College of Optometry

Contact: Shazia Tahseen, [E] cpd@aco.org.au, [P] 03 9349 7546

Learning Objectives

• To provide a broad understanding of the meaning and work of public health professionals
• To ensure an understanding of the breadth and underlying drivers or determinants of the public’s health locally, nationally and internationally
• To inspire health professionals (and particularly those involved in eyecare) to become involved as leaders in public health
• Recognise the roles, strengths and weaknesses of randomised controlled trials, cohort studies, and case-control studies
• Describe confounding, selection bias and information bias in epidemiological studies
• Calculate and interpret measures of disease frequency and association
• Describe the World Health Organization’s (WHO) building blocks of health care systems model
• Compare Australia’s health system to those of other similar countries
• Describe the key elements and stakeholders of Australia’s health care system and understand how these elements work together to finance and deliver comprehensive health services
• Explore some of the current and upcoming challenges and possible solutions for Australia’s eye care health system
• Understanding the current model of optometry care and its limitations
• Understanding barriers to health care and eye care
• Understanding social determinants of eye health
• Understand the current and projected scope of myopia epidemiology
• Understand the public health implications of myopia
• Understand public health prevention and control initiatives
• Understand the incidence and epidemiology of ocular trauma in Australia, including key risk factors.
• Understand what interventions are effective in the prevention of ocular trauma.
• Have a good knowledge of the standards for eye and face protection in Australia
• Understand cultural safety and the reasons for its importance in the context of quality health care - What is public health advocacy?
• Outline public health advocacy in the urban, rural and remote settings
• Outline the public health measures of a peak organisation, the Fred Hollows Foundation, including its activities across different nations (IAP, PEI, Nepal)
• Discuss global eye health and the global impact of blindness and vision impairment.
• Describe approaches to addressing blindness and vision impairment that are sustainable and contribute to broader outcomes with social impact.
• To be able to identify the role of and opportunities for optometrists in global eye health.
• Discuss how to architect impactful global advocacy campaigns that resonate with diverse audiences, from policymakers to the public, and discover the power of advocacy to drive lasting change.
• Discuss how to communicate complex eye health policies into compelling stories that ignite support and mobilise action.
• Communicate in clear, persuasive, and accessible language that maximises engagement and galvanises support for eye health initiatives
• Discuss the principles of cultural competence in relation to eye care provision
• Discuss the principles of health literacy in relation to eye care provision
• Apply and consider elements of cultural competence and health literacy in your optometric practice
• Discuss the complex link between climate change and its impact on both general health and eye care, including the reciprocal relationships between them.
• Identify key areas of action in addressing climate change-related challenges and their effects on eye care and public health
• Analyse three case studies illustrating the environmental sustainability practices being implements within eye care settings, drawing insights and lessons from each scenario.
• Describe the unique context of optometry in Australia and its specific challenges and opportunities related to sustainability practices
• Discuss the history and principles of health promotion, thereby being able to promote issues of general health (including eye and vision care) to the community
• Understand the range of theoretical and practical health promotion intervention frameworks
• Understand the role of health promotion in advocacy and discuss the determinants and public health management of chronic disease and lifestyle factors (Including a case study analysis as they pertain to optometry)
• Understand how public health principles apply to professional practice
• Know which areas could be promoted within the field of optometry
• Discuss public policy processes and some of the practical factors shaping policy development
• Describe effective approaches to advocacy
• Plan communication and engagement to support effective advocacy and policy change
• Have their own definition of leadership
• Discuss differing styles of leadership
• Self-assess and reflect on their own leadership skills and describe their own leadership skills development plan
• Discuss and understand the importance of effective communication
• Discuss the value of teamwork
• Improve their leadership skills
• Learn how communication and teamwork is essential for leadership
• Consolidate all these concepts in a case study on dealing with a public health crisis
• Describe and demonstrate the key elements of an effective team
• Identify how to create and maintain a successful partnership
• Describe skills for networking and how to improve them
• Discuss key change management principles for successfully implementing change in healthcare settings
• Discuss techniques to effectively communicate with and involve key stakeholders in the change process.
• Examine leadership approaches that foster organisational adaptability and long term success in dynamic healthcare environments

Max CPD hours awarded: 13.25

Session Information