02 April 2025

GOC announces new council members

The General Optical Council has announced its latest council appointments, which began on 1 April. Raymond Curran is the new registrant member, with Cathy Yelf as lay member. Frank Munro will continue in the role of registrant member for a further four years.

Raymond Curran is the head of ophthalmic services in the strategic planning and performance group in Northern Ireland's Department of Health, leading on contracting general ophthalmic services and the commissioning of secondary care. He has previously combined work in general ophthalmic services practice with hospital positions.

Responding to his appointment he said: "It is an exciting time, in a fast-moving and sometimes divergent healthcare landscape, but I am confident that, together, we can navigate it safely and effectively, ensuring that council both protects the public, and delivers on the ambitious commitments laid out in its strategic plan for 2025-30."

Ms Yelf has a background in charity work, notably the Macular Society where she was CEO for nearly a decade before stepping down last year. She is a trustee of Action Against Age-related Macular Degeneration and has sat on various NHS, NICE and industry committees and working groups. Before working in the eye care sector, Cathy worked for the BBC for 25 years in news and documentary making.

She said she was delighted to be joining the GOC. "So much is changing in this important sector and I look forward to serving with the regulatory body to help maintain and improve standards of eye care," she said.

Mr Munro is a practising optometrist in Scotland, with an interest in optometric service development, the management of acute and emergency eyecare, chronic eye disease, low vision, myopia control and complex contact lens design. He is a former president of the College of Optometrists and co-founder of Optometry Scotland, which he also chaired.

He told the GOC after the announcement: "This is an interesting period for the GOC with the new ETR (Education and Training Requirements) undergraduate programmes coming through, the further development of postgraduate training opportunities and the constantly changing eye health landscape across the UK. I look forward to working with colleagues over the next few years to help shape a smooth progression on all fronts."