Programme
Speakers' biogs are available here: https://wcb-ccd.org.uk/conference/speakers
10:00 – 10:05 Chair's welcome and introduction
Gwyn Williams, Consultant Ophthalmologist, Swansea Bay University Health Board
10:05 - 10:15 Unique Creative Arts Network (UCAN) Performance
'Mental Elf, Elf Part 1'
10:15 - 10:30 Setting the scene
David O'Sullivan, Chief Optometric Advisor, Welsh Government
10:30 – 10:45 Identifying Depression
National Clinical Leads
10:45 – 11:00 The role of the Eye Clinic Liaison Officer (ECLO)
Ruth Rhydderch, ECLO, University Hospital of Wales
11:00 – 11:15 Burnout to balance: Through resilience and recovery
Sandy Davies, Chair of the Welsh Rehabilitation Officers Forum
11:15 – 11:30 Emotional and practical support for the whole family
Mandie Wright, Royal Society for Blind Children
11:30 - 12:00 BREAK, EXHIBITION STANDS
12:00 – 12:15 Eight Voices in Darkness: An art installation to raise awareness about supporting the mental wellbeing of individuals with vision impairment *
Dr. Claire Nollett
Richard Bowers
12:15 – 12:30 Eyes on the Future: Developing Our Workforce
Sarah Schumm, Eye Health Training and Education Lead for Optometry, HEIW.
12:30 – 12:40 Launch of the Centre for Vision Services Research
Prof. Barbara Ryan, Cardiff University
12:40 – 13:00 Positive mental and general health: Importance of both
Isabelle Oliver, Chief Medical Officer
13:00 - 14:00 LUNCH and NETWORKING
14:00 – 14:10 Unique Creative Arts Network (UCAN) Productions
'Mental Elf, Elf Part 2'
14:10-14:25 Mental Health Strategy
Paul Casey, Deputy Director, Primary Care and Community, Welsh Government
14:25 - 14:40 Make it Make Sense: The mental toll of inaccessible health information
Anna Tylor, Chair of RNIB
14:40 – 14:55 Counselling and the importance of peer support
Nia Greer, North Wales Services Manager, Vision Support member of the Wales Vision Forum
14:55 – 15:10 LVSW practitioners’ approaches to their patients’ loneliness and isolation
Rebecca John, WCB Researcher
15:10 - 15:25 The positive impact of sport, leisure and landscapes
Gareth Davies, RNIB
James Ledger, Para Athlete
15:25 – 15:40 Looking after the Professionals
Michael Bradbury, Optometry Wales
15:40 - 16:00 Panel questions
- David O'Sullivan, Chief Optometric Advisor, Welsh Government;
- [to be confirmed];
- Nik Sheen, Head of Optometry, Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW);
- Tim Morgan, WGOS National Optometric Clinical Lead.
16.00 Closing remarks
Gwyn Williams, Consultant Ophthalmologist, Swansea Bay University Health Board
* There will be an opportunity to visit the installation, Eight Voices in Darkness, and take part in a workshop on sight loss and mental health services. Delegates will be contacted about this separately.