Meet the Team – Julia Maiden, Optical Lead
22 November 2022
The world of accountancy’s loss is optometry’s gain when it comes Julia Maiden’s career choice.
“Initially I wanted to be an accountant, my favourite subjects at school being maths and science,” says Julia. “When I was studying for my A levels I by chance got a Saturday job at the local Specsavers. While working weekends and holidays my interest grew in the role of optometry and optometrists, and I realised a career in optometry would combine my love for all sciences and maths, and luckily, I was already doing the right A levels!”
Julia did her pre-reg at a small independent optician in Preston.
“The practice was very clinically focused this gave me a great start to my career, I continued to work for Mike (the owner) for a year or two after qualifying a day or two a week alongside working for co-op opticians as a mobile optometrist.”
For the past 20 years Julia has been the (part time) resident at ASDA Opticians in Wigan. And it was here during the pandemic that she made a huge difference.
“The pandemic was a very busy time for me both as a CGPL for primary eyecare services negotiating, contracting, and mobilising CUES but also as ASDA optician extended services lead, I was tasked with rolling out CUES to those ASDA Opticians situated in areas where CUES had been commissioned.”
ASDA was new to providing services, so Julia helped put together the infrastructure that was needed to support and enable the mobilisation of services in ASDA stores.
She recalls, “ASDA opticians didn’t provide services for a long-time and this was one of my biggest frustrations in my career. I spent time negotiating and implementing services in my area as the LOC chair and monitoring them as the CGPL, but couldn’t provide them myself in practice, but it has now become one of my biggest achievements that I helped support ASDA in now providing services across a significant majority of the ASDA estate.”
Away from the optometry frontline Julia enjoys a game of two halves sharing a love for football with her family.
“I have been married for 22 years with two boys (aged 18 and 15). All four of us have a love and passion for football. Being very involved in grass roots football, husband coaching, boys playing and myself filling in the paperwork and giving encouragement from the side-lines rain or shine!”
Julia also supports her local football team Wigan and has built her life and career around the town.
“I am from a little village called Shevington in Wigan, I went to Uni in Manchester and then came home to Shevington. My parents and Gran (aged 95!) still live in Shevington, and many of my close college friends still live in Wigan or nearby,” Julia chuckles. “It’s one or those places where everyone knows almost everyone and says ‘morning’ to everyone you pass in the street even those that you don’t know!”
Having joined Ashton Leigh & Wigan LOC in 2008 Julia filled several roles until becoming Chair in 2014. She says she combines the role with a busy work schedule.
“My Job is very varied, I still spend time in clinic two days per week, have one day per week for ASDA head office as Extended Services Manager, one day for LOCSU. Having a variety of roles helps me to see situations from all angles. I love supporting and sharing knowledge in all my roles.”
Whatever her role whether it be at work or on the side of a pitch it feels like Julia – the would-be accountant – has made everything add up!