Our head office team

Harjit is a health policy expert with special interests in health economics and health systems. He started his career as an optometrist and has worked in a variety of clinical, policy and operational roles across community practice, the hospital service, the third sector and international clinical trials. He has an MSc in Health Economics, Policy and Management from the LSE, and brings a wide range of analytical, clinical and public health skills to his role.

David is a health analyst, policymaker and strategist with over 25 years' experience at a senior level in Whitehall at the Departments of Health & Social Security, holding posts including head of hospitals, specialised health services, purchasing (now called commissioning) and GP fundholding total purchasing (clinical commissioning).

Alan leads on regulatory affairs at FODO, including professional liability, legal defence, optical regulation, finance and taxation. He is a chartered accountant and a Companion of the Chartered Management Institute. He was formerly a financial consultant to the General Optical Council, managing director and part-owner of Galaxy Optical Services and finance director of Miller & Santhouse Plc.

With over 10 years' administrative experience, Giusy takes pride in providing the highest quality admin support to the managing director as well as the Membership team and Finance department. Outside work, Giusy enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading, and watching Italian football, especially her team Juventus.

Sue is an experienced PA, working for a visual impairment charity for more than 20 years before joining FODO in June 2018. When not at work, she loves spending time with family and friends and walking her dogs.

Rajan is the go-to person for members to gain advice and information on insurance claims, GOC cases, local level complaints and other matters, including GDPR and NHS/GOC queries. He organises all Continuing Education and Training (CET) for FODO members.

Dan is a health policy expert with an interest in primary care provision and service contracts. He has worked across a variety of healthcare fields for 15 years, covering medical research, healthcare education, and primary care policy and contracts. Dan liaises with other eye care and health care partners across the UK, and is the go-to person for any policy matters at FODO.

Having started her political career working in Westminster, Helen then moved into health policy at both central NHS and at local NHS Trust level. She has a BA in International Relations and spent time during her studies in the EU and the USA. Outside of work, Helen enjoys spending her time with family, friends, and her dog Orla.

Our professional adviser Steve Taylor is a registered optometrist with experience in hospital, education, industry, management and high street practice settings.

He has published and lectured extensively on topics he's particularly interested in, including clinical optometry, optometry education, legal and professional aspects of the optical profession and vision and driving.

Steve was a member of the GOC Fitness to Practice panel for 10 years. As a consultant, he has helped numerous new optometry schools to get established and is an optometry adviser to NHS England.

Steve has a PhD from the University of Wales and is a Fellow of the College of Optometrists and a Fellow of the American Academy of Optometry.

Shaun is a Director of Kings VAT, a specialist company that's been advising FODO and optical practices all over the UK on numerous VAT related matters since 1995.

During that time, he devised and negotiated the use of the full cost apportionment (FCA) method when making a single charge for supplies of spectacles and dispensing.

With his extensive knowledge of VAT and optics, Shaun has also advised several optical companies on disputes with HMRC, including cases resulting in litigation.

In addition, he has represented the profession in national discussions with HMRC, for example on acceptable methods of apportionment and the use of partial exemption methods.

Adam acts for FODO in regulatory, disciplinary, inquest and criminal matters. He represents optometrists, dispensing opticians and optical businesses in regulatory matters before the GOC and NHS England, and audiologists before HCPC. Adam also advises optical businesses on policy compliance issues and internal investigations into concerns about staff misconduct, clinical competence and criminal complaints.

Jane is a healthcare specialist with extensive experience in acting for and advising healthcare practitioners through their defence organisations and on a private basis. She provides advice to FODO regarding hearings before the GOC, health boards, area teams and Trusts. Jane's practice also includes general healthcare advisory services.

Lee advises on optical regulation and compliance and assists with fitness to practise investigations before the GOC. He offers a unique insight into this, having previously worked with the legal team of a healthcare regulator progressing fitness to practise investigations. Lee brings tremendous experience of healthcare regulation and fitness to practise investigations before a wide range of regulators.

Claire is a dual-qualified solicitor who practises in Scotland, England and Wales. She specialises in regulatory and disciplinary matters and is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in the Regulation of Professional Conduct Law. Claire also has experience in acting in fatal accident inquiries, criminal matters, inquests, appeals, injunctive relief litigation, judicial reviews and clinical negligence claims including individual optometrists and optical businesses.

Rebecca is highly experienced in acting for healthcare professionals in regulatory and disciplinary proceedings. She represents healthcare professionals before their regulators and appears as an advocate in interim orders proceedings. She also acts in inquests and Trust and NHS England disciplinary proceedings.

Since joining BLM in 2010, Ewan has represented healthcare professionals before their regulators, including the GOC and HCPC. He also appears as an advocate in interim orders proceedings and advises in disputes involving NHS Trusts. Ewan's specialist interest is in advising on GDPR matters.

Since qualifying in 2009, Laura has acted for both individual and business registrants in cases before the GOC. Laura also frequently represents other healthcare professionals before their regulators and has been involved in Trust and NHS England disciplinary proceedings and advising clients on data protection legislation.

Nicola represents healthcare professionals before their regulators, including individuals and business registrants before the GOC and hearing aid dispensers before HCPC. She also conducts a variety of clinical negligence claims including ocular claims for failures to detect ocular diseases and delay in diagnosis of ocular and brain tumours, and hearing claims.

Laura is our employment law lead at WorkNest. Laura qualified as a solicitor in 2008 and specialises in advising SMEs and larger multi-site providers on employment law issues in healthcare and the charity sector. She is a member of the Employment Law Association and Solicitors Regulation Authority.