In the Hot Seat - Dr Robert Harper

Dr Robert Harper BSc (Hons) MPhil DPhil DipGlauc MCOptom, is one of two Consultant Optometrists at Manchester Royal Eye Hospital and Honorary Senior Lecturer in the Departments of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Manchester University. Robert has spent most of his optometric career within the Hospital Eye Service and talks about his role and current research interests and his ambition to run the London Marathon for a third time. 

What is your current role and title?

Optometrist Consultant, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital

What are your responsibilities?

My key responsibilities are clinical, managerial, research, teaching, training and audit

How long have you been there now?

About 14 years

What does your role do?

I’m one of two Optometrist Consultants at this hospital and act as direct line manager to 5 individuals (the Principal Clinical Vision Scientist, the Head of ophthalmic imaging, the Lead Perimetrist and 2 Principal Optometrists), all of whom manage other staff (~20 staff in total). My clinical work encompasses glaucoma co-management, low vision, new patient assessment clinics and routine refraction work.  I’m Audit Lead for the Eye Hospital within the Trust and have teaching and research responsibilities.

Do you have any specific clinical/academic interest?

I’m interested in optometry in general, but glaucoma and low vision in particular.

How do you think the Hospital Optometry will change in the next 10 years?

I would expect changes to differ dependent on local circumstances in the same way that the current extended roles (including glaucoma co-management, cataract services, primary care clinics etc) differ throughout UK hospital departments at present. Quite reasonably, there might be evolution of services (based on present arrangements) or the development of specific new services, but importantly there will need to be evidence of cost-effectiveness of such services, including those relating to prescribing. There are understandable political reasons as to how and why services develop in the way that they do, but provided the important matters are considered, i.e. there is a pressing ophthalmic healthcare need that can be met by the delivery of high quality care by appropriately trained and accredited professionals, then optometry should be in a position to advance in scope.

What prompted you to study optometry?

I was interested in biology and physics at school and it became one of the subjects I looked at in more detail when the time came to choose a degree course.  The more I read, the more I felt it was right for me and have never had any regrets about the choice.

Where did you study and train?

City University as an undergraduate, then Moorfields/Institute of Ophthalmology and Oxford Eye Hospital as a post-graduate.

What is your overriding memory of your pre-registration year?

I was a pre-registration optometrist at Moorfields Eye Hospital and was lucky enough to work in a wonderfully supportive, stimulating and challenging environment with 3 great supervisors, including Janet Silver who sadly lost her battle with cancer earlier this year.  I recall being on a very steep learning curve, but it was a lot of fun too and I have many great memories of my year and my 3 fellow trainees.

When you qualified what did you do next?

I studied for an MPhil at the neighbouring Institute of Ophthalmology and after that I moved to Oxford to study for a doctorate, continuing to locum in private practise to supplement the grant support.  Thereafter I worked with Boots Opticians as a Tutor Practitioner at Aston University before returning to Hospital Optometry in 1994.

What other roles within the profession have you held or do you currently hold?

I’m honorary senior lecturer at the University of Manchester, a College of Optometrists examiner for the scheme for registration final exams and Glaucoma higher diploma, former chairman and current panel member of the College’s Glaucoma Panel and a GOC visitor. I have edited a journal (CE Optometry) for 5 years and been involved in lecturing/supervising and examining at undergraduate, post-graduate (MSc) and PhD level.

What do you feel was your main contribution to these roles?

These roles are quite varied.  I’d like to think that I’ve provided a quality input across these activities but this question is really for others to judge.

What role has been the most rewarding?

I’ve enjoyed all of these activities and indeed it has been the combination and variety that has kept me motivated and stimulated.

What still interests you about optometry?

When it comes down to it, I believe that optometrists are able to make a difference to patients on a range of levels.  While the new roles are challenging and great for professional development, I never underestimate the importance of the core skills of refraction and provision of optical correction in whatever form, but I acknowledge I’ve been lucky enough to have good variety in the professional roles I’ve undertaken.

What was one of your greatest challenges / what do you think has been your greatest accomplishment?

Bringing 3 wonderful children into the world.

What challenges do you look for in the future of optometry?

I don’t know about optometry, but I’d like to run the London Marathon in under 4 hours – third time lucky I hope!

What irritates you?

Bad manners would have to rank pretty highly. I find myself agreeing with much of what the so called grumpy old men have to say about the world and not really caring that I do so – they’re usually spot-on.
Have you ever failed an exam?

I was hopeless at Latin and usually came last in the set.

What is your greatest weakness?

A good bottle of wine.

Where is ‘home?’

Bowdon, Altrincham in Cheshire

What do you do to relax?

Running (outdoors, not the gym) and being out and about with children’s sports activities

Best film?

Bladerunner but I also love the occasional re-run of the Champions League final 2005

What are you listening to on your ipod at the moment?

I would only use the thing when out running, but my daughter has taken the last one I bought and deleted my play-list. I can never find the thing when setting-off, so I don’t tend to bother anymore.

Do you have any interesting hidden talents?

I’d like to think I can sing a bit, but I wouldn’t go as far as to say it was a talent!

How would your friends describe you?

I expect they would, in the non-complementary way that close friends who know you well are allowed to, quickly dispel the serious-minded slightly pedantic chap as an ‘at-work’ professional image, but this question isn’t for me.

If you had to live your life over again, what one thing would you change?

That’s a question for a much older chap than me. I’m still living this life and hopefully have many years ahead of me, so if I did have any regrets I’d want to do something about it.

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