Optometry Australia (OA) and the Australian College of Optometry (ACO) have formalised an agreement to explore collaborations and potential joint ventures to progress the optometry profession.
The two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and are considering synergies – including professional education, clinical research and innovation in clinical care – which they say may lead to mutually beneficial opportunities that could be applied nationally.
OA national president Mr Darrell Baker said partnerships, such as those with the ACO, enabled OA to challenge itself to find new ways of operating to support the ongoing evolution of the profession as well as how to better support members.
“Optometry Australia and the ACO have always been interconnected and we believe that there are many synergies that would be highly beneficial for both our memberships, and the profession broadly, that are worth us collectively exploring”.
By seeking different ways of working with likeminded organisations, Baker said OA would be in a stronger position to achieve the outcomes identified in Optometry 2040, the sector’s 20-year transformational roadmap launched in December 2018.
“To lead the sector towards 2040, and to achieve the targets set in this long-term strategy, the National Board recognises that Optometry Australia must invest in the technology, education and innovation required for optometrists to take control of their future,” he said.
ACO president Mr Rodney Hodge also acknowledged that preparing for the future was vital.
“A key part of the ACO’s agenda is to strengthen and assist the evolution of the profession of optometry. Collaboration and facilitation, along with independent action are, and will continue to be, important for delivering the best possible outcomes.”
He said fostering excellence through collaboration and facilitation enabled the ACO to push for innovative ways to achieve their goals.
“The role of the ACO is to improve education, clinical care and research and thus improve the lives of the people in the communities we serve. To enhance this capacity the ACO strongly supports this collaboration with Optometry Australia,” he said.
“While we already have a strong relationship with OA, we anticipate that the MoU will provide a framework to explore our joint capacity to help the optometry community deliver more value to the public.”
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