Investment in the community eye workforce is vital to meet patient need, notes Specsavers 2026 Access to care report.
Devolved nations show path for England on community eye care access
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are providing invaluable examples of how to make fuller use of community optometry – that England can draw upon, according to Specsavers 2026 access to care report.
Expanding community eye and hearing care would improve access to care – AND save the UK £2.91bn a year by 2040
Greater use of community eye and hearing care services could save the UK £2.91 billion annually by 2040, a sum equivalent to the cost of 70 million GP appointments, according to a new report.
PAC 2026 – Audiology keynote speakers announced
Professor Gaby Saunders, Director of the Manchester Centre for Audiology and Deafness (ManCAD) and a leading expert in hearing health and rehabilitation, will deliver the opening audiology keynote at this year’s Specsavers Professional Advancement Conference (PAC) on Sunday 13 September.
Registration is now live for PAC, one of the UK’s largest conference for audiology clinicians. Returning to Birmingham’s International Convention Centre (ICC), PAC is open to everyone working in audiology, regardless of employer or qualification.
Specsavers directors share why volunteering matters during Volunteers’ Week 2026
Through its homelessness programme, Specsavers works with charity partners including Crisis and Vision Care for Homeless People to help remove barriers to eye and ear care for people affected by homelessness, delivering support in stores, community settings and partner-led clinics.
CPD webinar helps audiology professionals embed sustainability into everyday clinical practice
Audiology professionals across the UK and Ireland are invited to join a new online CPD webinar exploring how sustainability can be integrated into hearing care – without compromising clinical outcomes.
Taking place 08:25-09:00 BST on Wednesday 10 June 2026, “Hearing for the Future: Sustainability in Practice” is thought to be the first ever CPD session focusing on sustainability aimed specifically at Audiology clinicians and brings together expertise from Helen Curran, Head of Sustainability at Specsavers, and Bethany Dean, Specsavers’ Clinical Performance Consultant for Scotland and the North.
Specsavers welcomes renewed focus on community care following Scottish election
Expanding NHS audiology in the community could help support the returning Scottish government’s healthcare ambitions, says Specsavers.
Specsavers launches new Audiology Graduate Programme for 2026
Specsavers is launching its first ever graduate development programme for recently qualified audiologists and hearing aid dispensers.
Stephanie’s Specsavers journey: From shopfloor to hearing aid dispenser and clinical lead
Stephanie Whittall’s journey with Specsavers began over eight years ago on the optical shopfloor. But it was her curiosity about the hearing side of the business that sparked a new direction.
More than 600 apprentices joining each year – Specsavers commitment to strengthening communities
The 10 Year Plan for the NHS in England in 2025 was a milestone. But inconsistent NHS commissioning is a barrier to unleashing the full potential of our sector. Here’s what Specsavers is doing to improve access to care for patients.