Fionnuala Kidd Steps into New Senior LOC Advancement Lead Role

12 November 2024

 

Following LOCSU’s recent recruitment campaign we are pleased to share that Fionnuala Kidd has stepped into the newly created role of Senior Advancement Lead. In this role, Fionnuala will be using the leadership skills gained through her career to date, including completion of the LOC Leadership Course, and will continue to work closely with LOCs, LOCSU Advancement Leads and the central team.

She’ll also be working to ensure LOCs are represented within all appropriate clinical areas of influence to progress the wider aims of primary eye care in partnership with other sector bodies, as well as providing clinical leadership, strategic oversight and mentorship to the LOCSU operational field team.

Fionnuala is looking forward to entering the next phase of her career: “It seemed like the natural next step in career development,” she says. “I’ve been with LOCSU for three years as an advancement lead, and have really enjoyed the varied interesting work. I am inspired by the individuals changing the landscape of primary care optometry through LOCs and wanted the opportunity to do more work in this space.”

A varied background and keen interest in training have shaped Fionnuala’s career to date. She has worked as an optometrist in both small rural independents and large multiples and has mentored several pre-reg trainees. As a newly qualified optometrist she saw new services being implemented, which led to an interest in extended services and further study at Cardiff. From there it was a logical step to get involved with the LOC, which then led to her becoming an optical lead – now known as advancement leads – with LOCSU.

In her new role, Fionnuala will draw on her communication, clinical, and collaborative working skills to support and empower LOCs as a liaison and specialist advisor. She will also provide team leadership to new advancement leads along with supporting the cardiovascular pilot and various LOCSU projects such as the regional optical conference (ROCs) and national optical conference (NOC).

Taking on projects such as these is one of the appeals of her new role: “I’ve been fortunate already in my time with LOCSU to have the opportunity to work on a range of projects,” she says. “However, this change in role allows me to continue to develop and take on new projects. I’m looking forward to being involved with the development of future clinical pathways and working on national projects.”

Fionnuala is particularly looking forward to attending the upcoming ROCs: “I enjoy seeing people in person and getting to hear about the successes and progress being made as well as the ongoing challenges. Sometimes it takes a conversation with someone sitting less close to the detail to really step back and recognise the progress.”

Fionnuala believes that this new role will benefit LOCs by ensuring there is someone on the leadership team who is actively engaged in on-the-ground LOC support and able to share the perspectives and challenges being faced. She adds: “I’m also still working as an optometrist in practice so frustrations on imperfect systems are bothering me and understanding this impact helps me to represent LOCs better. The wider changes that LOCSU have made over the last 18-24 months have been made to ensure that LOC support needs can be met, and the LOCs have the tools necessary to carry out their function in an ever complex changing landscape.”