Optical regulator announces reappointment of Lisa Gerson and appointment of Ros Levenson and Poonam Sharma to its Council

The General Optical Council (GOC) has today announced the reappointment to its Council of Lisa Gerson as registrant member for a further four-year term. Ros Levenson and Poonam Sharma have been appointed as new lay and registrant members respectively. They were appointed by the Privy Council and their terms will begin on 1 April 2025.

Lisa Gerson is a qualified optometrist and currently supervises student clinics at Cardiff University. She has over thirty years’ experience of working in optometry in Wales, in both independent and larger multiple practices. Before joining Council in May 2021, she served as a registrant member of the GOC’s fitness to practise panel, Acting Chair of the Investigation Committee, and as a member of the Education Visitor Panel. She has been a Council Member for Wales for The College of Optometrists, Vice-Chair of the Lay Advisory Panel and a previous Trustee of The College of Optometrists and Association of Optometrists’ Benevolent Fund. She also served as a Patient Representative for the NICE Patient Access Scheme, a lay member of Medical Training Application Service (MTAS), and lay member of the Graduate Entry Medicine Programme for Swansea University.

She says:

“I am thrilled to have been reappointed as a GOC Council Member and very excited to contribute to the implementation of its new strategy. I am passionate about public protection and look forward to ensuring the highest possible standards within optometry across the four nations.”

Ros Levenson joins as a lay member. As an independent researcher, evaluator and policy consultant on health and social care issues, she has worked for a range of statutory and voluntary organisations and published widely on health and care. Ros has previously held many public appointments including as: Member of the Architects Registration Board; Non-executive director of the NHS Litigation Authority; Member of the National Research Ethics Advisors Panel; Member of the General Medical Council (GMC); Chair of the GMC Standards and Ethics Committee; Member of Ethics and Confidentiality Committee; Member of the Health Professions Council; and Non-executive director, and later deputy Chair, of Whipps Cross University Hospital NHS Trust. She has also served in a voluntary capacity as Chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges’ Patient and Lay Committee and Chair of the Royal College of Surgeons of England’s Patient and Lay Group.

She says:

“I am very pleased to join the Council as a lay member. Optical services are important to so many people. A regulator that puts patients and the public at the centre of how it works makes an important contribution to maintaining confidence in the optical professions. I look forward to working with my lay and professional colleagues and with the leadership of the GOC in delivering our statutory responsibilities.”

Poonam Sharma joins as a registrant member. She has practised since 1996, as a community optometrist, a hospital clinician, diabetic eye screening practitioner, and visiting tutor at City University. She is currently the Lead Optometry Adviser for NHS England (London), providing clinical advice and professional leadership to NHS England and to the wider health and care systems. She leads a team of clinical advisers in ensuring primary care optometrists deliver safe and high-quality care. She has served on several NHS committees regarding eye care service-redesign and supported Local Optical Committees (LOCs) in procuring and implementing extended primary eye care services as a Local Optical Committee Support Unit (LOCSU) Optical lead. She also led on a large-scale ophthalmology service transformation as the ophthalmology clinical lead for Waltham Forest Clinical Commissioning Group.

She says:

“I am delighted to begin my role with the GOC during this pivotal period of transformation and innovation. With the GOC, I am committed to ensuring that the optical profession continues to deliver safe, effective, and high-quality care to the public.”

Chair of Council, Dr Anne Wright CBE, says:

“I am delighted to welcome Ros Levenson and Poonam Sharma to the Council, and also warmly welcome the reappointment of Lisa Gerson. They all bring a wealth of experience and skills which will be invaluable to the GOC.

They join the GOC at a critical time, as we prepare to launch our new strategy for 2025-30 which will continue our vital work of protecting the public by upholding high standards in the optical professions and ensuring safe and effective eyecare for all.”