Altrincham Optometrist receives award for clinical excellence

An Altrincham optometrist has been honoured by the founders of Specsavers.

Optometrist Beth March-Jones (pictured), who works across Specsavers stores in Altrincham, Sale and Urmston, has received a medal in recognition of her clinical excellence from Doug and Dame Mary Perkins.

Beth is one of 14 colleagues from across the UK and the Republic of Ireland to receive a Doug and Dame Mary medal for clinical excellence and outstanding customer care.

Nominated by her colleagues for delivering exceptional clinical care and unparalleled support for her team, Beth, an optometrist with more than 22-years-of-experience, has achieved higher qualifications in independent prescribing and glaucoma care. 

Spearheading the drive for Specsavers stores in Altrincham, Sale and Urmston to offer enhanced optical services, Beth also developed the way the glaucoma protocols operated across all three stores, helping to streamline the referrals process and monitor low risk cases on behalf of Manchester Royal Eye Hospital.

Beth is a leading example of delivering high volumes of excellent patient management and was among the first practitioners in Trafford to obtain an NHS prescribing pad.  Which she uses to help patients gain access to therapeutic relief from eye conditions, such as allergic eye disease. 

Alongside her Specsavers role, Beth has a long-standing involvement in school career fairs and is a STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Ambassador, helping students and young people link STEM subjects to the real world of work and more specifically optometry.

Specsavers Altrincham, Sale and Urmston optometry director, Tom Crowther says: ‘Every member of the team has the utmost respect for Beth, she truly is an ambassador for optometry. 

‘As lead optometrist, Beth is committed to professional development and leads, alongside me, the training and development of our teams and is first to congratulate colleagues on positive patient outcomes.

‘Her commitment to providing excellent care has helped to develop relationships with local teams at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and primary eyecare services across the region, strengthening our position as stores of clinical excellence.

‘To be recognised on a national level is very special. We are all extremely proud of her.’ 

‘Beth is a wonderful optometrist, her clinical knowledge and patient care is exemplary, and she is model professional for our stores and team.  I can think of no-one who deserves this award more, we are incredibly proud of her,’ adds Specsavers Altrincham, Sale and Urmston retail director, Steve Dare. 

Specsavers founder Doug Perkins says: ‘These awards celebrate and recognise colleagues’ professionalism, and passion, in the areas of clinical and customer care. The winners are outstanding, and all go above and beyond to deliver exceptional clinical customer care.’

On receiving the award Beth adds: ‘I am so grateful to receive this award, although I genuinely feel that I am just doing my job and what is expected of me. Offering all of these enhanced services allows us to fully service our community for all of their eyecare needs. They also enable us to provide support and reduce the pressure on secondary care and the hospital eye service. This is why we do it and I am so thankful to the wider team as I couldn’t do this on my own. It takes the full support from the team around me as this allows us to be great at what we do.’

Those unable to attend a Specsavers store unaccompanied can receive the same eye care at home via its Home Visits service. Specsavers Home Visits covers more than 90% of the UK.