This   year’s   NEG   conference,   will   offer   the   most   varied   programme   we   have   ever   put   together,   with   world   class   speakers   and   content   that   will impact every NEG member across the country. Having   not   been   able   to   meet   up   with   other   NEG   members   since   June   2019,   the   conference   will   offer   a   great   opportunity   to   catch   up   with likeminded professionals to discuss business and clinical elements of our business. Sunday 27th October 11:15am - Coffee & Welcome 11:30am Optinet Showcase Join   the   Optinet   team   as   they   show   the   very   latest   developments   in   Optinet   Nova   Software.   This   session   will   include   and opportunity for Q&A and discussions regarding future developments 1:00pm  – Registration and Lunch 2:00pm - Key Employment updates – Everything you need to know in 2024 and beyond! Presented by  Emma McGrath Professional Support Solicitor LLB (Hons) Emma   originally   qualified   and   worked   as   a   solicitor   in   private   practice,   specialising   in   employment   law.   She   started   working for   Citation   in   2007   working   on   the   Employment   Law   Team,   first   as   an   adviser   and   then   as   a   manager.      In   2019   she   moved to   work   as   a   Professional   Support   solicitor   in   our   Professional   Support   Team.      Her   role   includes   delivering   training   and seminars   as   well   as   researching   and   guiding   on   difficult   employment   law   points,   always   looking   for   practical   approaches that work for the particular client.   The   publication   of   the   new   Labour   government’s   Employment   Rights   Bill   is   on   the   horizon   and   expected   to   land   by   mid- October.   This   legislation   is   set   to   revolutionise   employment   rights   across   Great   Britain.      Key   changes   to   look   out   for   include day-one   unfair   dismissal   rights,   the   banning   ‘exploitative’   zero-hours   contracts,   and   changes   to   Statutory   Sick   Pay,   which   will   see   the   three-day waiting   period   scrapped.   It’s   vital   that   businesses   across   every   sector,   including   opticians,   grasp   all   the   proposed   changes   otherwise   the   scale   and speed   of   the   Bill’s   changes   could   pose   a   challenge.   Join   Emma   McGrath,   Professional   Support   Solicitor   at   Citation,   for   an   overview   of   what’s expected to be in the Employment Rights Bill as well as highlighting other important amendments that are on the way. 3:00pm Coffee Break 3:30pm   -   Creating   Foresight:   combining   public   opinion,   data   and   AI   to   enable   the   enhanced   optometrists   for   the   future of healthcare. Presented by Wen Hwa Lee    Dr   Wen   Hwa   Lee   will   be   presenting   a   follow-up   to   the   concept   of   the   Augmented   Optometrist,   as   shared   in   the   Nov   2022 article,   Dr   Lee   will   give   us   an   update   on   how   the   field   has   progressed   in   the   UK   and   across   the   World   –   but   also   details   of how   the   UK   optometry   community   can   play   a   leading   role   in   research,   future-setting   and   delivering   the   healthcare   of   the future through the eyes. In   his   talk   he   will   tell   us   about   the   Foresight   project   and   how   exactly   optometrists   can   participate   in   this   initiative. Foresight   is   led   by   the   charity   Action   Against   AMD   and   its   partners   (Macular   Society,   Blind   Veterans   UK,   Sight   Scotland and   Sight   Scotland   Veterans),   which   will   combine   patients,   their   families,   friends   and   carers   with   the   broader   optometry community,   and   work   alongside   basic   and   clinical   sciences   to   discover   novel   ways   to   find   new   treatments,   medicines, diagnostics and solutions for eye diseases and also systemic conditions – firmly securing the role of optometrists in the future of healthcare.” 4:30pm Biometric Intelligent lenses Presented By Jason Hasley Today's   individual   everyday   life   is   reflected   in   the   different   visual   situations   and   needs   our   eyes   are   confronted   with. Therefore, the eye should - if necessary - be supported with glasses that are precisely tailored to these requirements. Thanks   to   state-of-the-art   technology   and   know-how   at   the   highest   level,   spectacles   can   now   be   made   entirely   according to    the    individual    needs    of    each    spectacle    wearer.    In    addition    to    the    biometry    of    each    individual    eye,    the    versatile requirements   of   the   different   visual   situations   of   each   spectacle   wearer   are   also   considered.   ,   Jason   Halsey   will   lead   us through   Rodenstock’s   focus   on   the   optimal   solution.   He   will   discuss   how   biometric   data   is   incorporated   directly   into   the lens   production   and   the   lenses   are   calculated   so   that   they   match   the   individual   eye   profile   down   to   the   exact   micrometre. The more accurately the spectacle lens is adapted to the eye of the wearer, the more optimal the visual experience. Monday 28th October 8:00am Registration - Tea & coffee served in the exhibition hall 9:00am   Build   to   Sell;   How   to   harness   the   incredible   leverage   of   early   stage   exit   planning   to   maximise   outcomes   and avoid being farmed. Presented by Ben Colman Nothing   lasts   forever,   and   no   matter   how   happy   you   are   as   the   owner   of   any   kind   of   business,   some   day   it   will   be   important for   you   to   realise   the   best   possible   return   on   your   life’s   work.   Too   often   the   subject   of   exit   planning   is   an   afterthought   that when   attended   to   is   too   little,   too   late.   The   reality   is   that   it   should   an   ongoing,   iterative   process   that   underpins   your   business strategy and offers the opportunity of delivering massive value to you decades before you plan to sell Presented   by   Ben   Colman   from   Myers   La   Roche   who   has   over   25   years’   board-level   experience   in   Sales   &   Marketing Management    and    Strategic    Business    Consultancy    for    international    companies.    At    Myers    La    Roche,    Ben    works    with Independent   Business   Owners   to   plan   their   future   exit   strategy.   He   feels   strongly   that   Exit   Planning   means   putting   the business owner at the centre of all decision making, while optimising the business’ value to enhance its attraction to potential. During   the   lecture   you   will   discover   the   secrets   to   building   a   practice   with   fantastic   profit   levels   throughout   your   ownership;   an   optimised   business gives   the   owner   flexibility   to   choose   how   (and   when)   they   work   and   can   eventually   attract   multiple   interested   parties.   Learn   how   to   make   strategic decisions today that will maximise your practice's future value for a smooth and successful sale whenever you choose. 10:00am The Increasing Role of Technology in Optometry Practice Presented by Jason Higginbottom Jason   Higginbotham   is   an   Optometrist   and   Dispensing   Optician   with   over   30   years’   experience   in   the   field. Jason   has   achieved   a   high   level   of   academic   success   and   is   still   developing   his   academic   career.   Jason   has worked   in   independent   and   multiple   practices,   owning   his   own   practices,   working   in   refractive   laser,   working   in IOL   clinics,   working   in   hospital   low   vision   clinics   and   in   domiciliary   Optometry.   He   is   completing   his   MSc   in Clinical   Optometry   at   City   University.   After   joining   Birmingham   Optical,   Jason   was   promoted   to   the   position   of Director   of   Medical   and   Education   and   provided   training   and   CET   lectures   on   a   range   of   instruments   and diagnostic    techniques,    including    refractive    laser,    Corneal    surgery,    OCT,    Dry    Eye    assessment,    Corneal Topography,   IOL’s,   Glaucoma   and   other   subjects.   Jason   has   undergone   extensive   training   and   post-graduate study   with   several   manufacturers/universities   on   numerous   complex   devices   and   is   widely   respected   for   his comprehensive   training   and   CET   sessions:   especially   those   involving   OCT,   its   application   and   clinical   interpretation.   Jason   is   also   well   known   for his   business   acumen   and   the   hugely   successful   Nidek   OCT   roll   out   in   the   UK   and   Ireland,   for   example.   Jason   now   has   his   own   consultancy business,   FYEye   Consulting,   where   he   provides   advice   to   multiple   clients   on   a   wide   range   of   topics,   from   R&D   and   procurement   to   clinical   training and   education.   He   sits   as   a   non-executive   director   on   several   boards   and   is   involved   in   several   professional   bodies   and   business   sector organisations. This   session   will   examine   some   of   the   newest   technologies   that   are   starting   to   enter   into   the   consulting   room   in   UK   optometry.   This   will   include   a look   at   ophthalmic   AI   (artificial   intelligence),   changes   to   how   refraction   is   conducted,   new   imaging   modalities,   new   ways   of   providing   tele-optometry and similar services and also new devices to aid in both the diagnosis and treatment of a range of ocular conditions. Coffee Break served in the exhibition hall 11:30am Creating Lasting Change Presented by Andy Clark . Ever had a brilliant idea for building your practice but then failed to make it happen?   Don’t   beat   yourself   up   we   all   have,   but   it   doesn’t   bode   well   for   the   great   ideas   that   you   will   have   while   you   are   at   this conference.   There’s   no   shortage   of   reasons   that   people   have   for   the   failure   of   their   latest   idea,   two   of   the   most   common   are   “I   didn’t have   enough   time.”   and   “My   team   don’t   like   change.”   These   two   and   others   may   have   seemed   perfectly   valid   at   the   time, but what if they became a thing of the past?   What   if   you   had   a   system   for   implementing   your   best   ideas   that   would   allow   you   to   effectively   roll   them   out   and   have   your   team   apply   them   every day, even when you’re not there?   I’m   going   to   share   a   system   for   making   sure   that   your   new   initiatives   stick   and   remain   stuck,   I   have   successfully   used   this   model   in   small   practices with just two or three people in the team, and in groups with hundreds of staff.   My goal is that you leave the conference saying “I’ve had a load of great ideas AND I know how to make the best ones happen.”   So I’m looking forward to seeing you on Monday 28th at 11:30, just bring a smile and a curious, open mind and we’ll have some fun 12:30pm Lunch served in the exhibition hall 2:00pm Contact lenses, a golden opportunity. – How can contact lenses support your business with minimum effort? Presenter by Samantha Watson, I t   is   often   commented   on,   in   contact   lens   conversation,   that   contact   lenses   do   not   ‘hold   their   own’   in   business,   or   that they   are   a   challenge   and   a   waste   of   chair   time.   However,   the   positive   inclusion   of   contact   lenses   is   also   reported   by many   successful   business   owners,   to   be   not   only   a   way   of   enhancing   the   quality   of   patients’   lives   but   also   a   highly profitable   proponent   of   a   growing   optometric   practice.   In   this   lecture,   we   will   discuss   the   opportunity   that   contact lenses   present   from   a   patient,   practitioner   and   practice   perspective   alongside   ways   to   maximise   opportunities   and make contact lens inclusion within an optical business a straightforward process. Samantha    Watson    is    a    Contact    Lens    Optician    who    works    for    CooperVision    in    the    role    of    Professional    Affairs Consultant.   She   has   many   years   in   practice   across   a   wide   range   of   roles   including   management.   Samantha   has completed   a   pgce   teacher   training   degree   and   is   keen   to   initiate   engaging   and   empowering   education.   She   has written,   facilitated,   and   presented   CPD   at   a   wide   range   of   events   and   virtual   sessions   and   been   published   in   trade   magazines.   In   2019   she became a Fellow of the British Contact Lens Association. More recently in 2024, Samantha gained a Masters degree (First) in Digital Education 3:00pm Coffee served in the exhibition hall 3:30pm Fly Higher. Presented by keynote speaker Sarah Furness The   last   session   of   the   conference   is   left   for   individual   growth,   with   our   keynote   speaker   Sarah   Furness.   Sarah,   after graduating   from   Cambridge   University,   fearlessly   pursued   her   dream   of   becoming   a   combat   helicopter   pilot   in   the   RAF.   As   a distinguished   Squadron   Leader,   she   took   charge   of   critical   operational   combat   missions   in   Iraq   and   Afghanistan,   where   she made   two   profound   revelations:   that   resilience   and   peak   performance   under   pressure   are   not   innate,   yet   humans   possess   an extraordinary   capacity   to   thrive   and   excel   under   challenging   circumstances   when   equipped   with   the   right   knowledge.   Now, she   is   passionately   devoted   to   unlocking   the   secrets   of   outstanding   resilience,   performance,   and   courage   "under   fire," determined to empower others with this invaluable wisdom and to help us all Fly Higher