Q1 2021

47 | Q1 2021 Nov20041 Clear Vision Of Success Set-up by a formidable female duo nearly ten years ago, Pearce & Blackmore Opticians has gone from strength-to- strength. We speak to one half of the founding partnership to find out more about the practice’s customer-centric approach. Pearce & Blackmore Opticians (PBO) is a small, independent practice giving a personal and professional service to all patients. Opened in 2012, PBO is owned and run by Principal Optometrist, Clare Pearce, and Practice Manager, Francesca Blackmore. From humble beginnings, it now has more than 4,000 patients on its books. The practice welcomes all NHS, private and corporate patients and provides specialist eye examinations, including tailor-made children’s eye tests. It is also accredited to deliver emergency eye health examinations under the Wales Eye Care Service (WECS). Francesca goes into more detail about the all-female run firm. “We love being a fiercely and completely independent opticians as it gives us the opportunity to work in a way that we love,” she enthuses. “Our aim has always been to offer our services in a way that makes the patient feel valued, comfortable and listened to.” Francesca and the team strongly believe that top-quality eye care should be available and accessible to everyone and endeavour to always achieve this within PBO. “We focus on health rather than sales and offer services of an independent, but in a market dominated by multiples, we aim to be more affordable than people’s preconceptions of an independent practice.” Located within a medical centre in a suburb of Cardiff, the practice natural stands out from competitors by being based here as it instantly appears more clinical as opposed to retail. Both Clare and Francesca have conversational British Sign Language abilities, and this has contributed hugely to the practice’s unique ability to make eye care accessible to everyone. Clare is the sole optometrist at PBO. Following her graduation in 2004 with a degree in Optometry and Vision Science, she completed a pre-registration year at Specsavers, where she stayed for nine years. Recently, Claire has returned to university and is currently expanding her breadth of knowledge by studying with Cardiff University to gain a qualification in Low Vision to then work with Low Vision Service Wales. This will allow PBO to offer low vision assessments in the practice and supply patients with low vision aids such as magnifiers should they need it. Due to the practice’s independent status, time has been spent researching the spectacle frame market and offering choices ranging from specialist children’s frames that suit from age six months, to bespoke, handmade wooden frames. “Everyone should have access to amazing frames so we offer a great pricing structure to upgrade NHS patients, so all frames are available to all. We developed a range we called Stand Out Specs which we launched via our social media channels that we have been building up since 2014. These are our most unusual frames with awesome colours and shapes but offer a more basic option as a second pair.” In Wales, eyecare is thought of as more of a medical service, rather than a fashionable, retail industry. Patients experiencing problems with their eyes are initially encouraged to seek an optometrist rather than book a GP appointment in the first instance. This is of huge benefit to patients as it lightens the load on secondary care and on the already overburdened NHS, especially during Covid-19 times. It also reduces waiting times. Regarding the future, Clare and Francesca have high hopes. Both women share the same, united vision for the practice and the overriding feeling between the close-knit team (which also includes two part-time admin staff) is that they all love what they do! “We have high clinical standards and anyone looking to join our team would have to have pride in their profession, not take themselves too seriously and be able to enjoy spending the day with us!” Company: Pearce and Blackmore Contact: Francesca Blackmore Website: www.PBOpticians.co.uk