24/07/2025
👋 Meet Richard Spruce, Vice Chair of Optometry Scotland (since 2024)
Richard is an independent practice owner with practices in Alva and Selkirk. Before stepping into the Vice Chair role in 2024, he served as an Independent Representative on the OS Board for two years bringing his front-line insight and passion for patient-centred care to the national conversation.
🧠 “The best thing about working in optometry?”
"Never having two days the same. You never know who’s going to sit down in your chair or what problem you’ll be presented with — and that keeps it interesting.”
❤️ What he’s passionate about:
“Patient experience. We can and should do better to join up the patient journey across the NHS. Not a fan of bureaucracy that gets in the way of care.”
📣 If he could tell the public just one thing?
“Please phone first for an emergency appointment — don’t just turn up saying ‘the doctor said you'd see me now!’”
☕ Caffeine order: Milk, no sugar. Straight to the point.
🛠️ Favourite part of the job:
“Helping the person in front of me — solving a problem or setting them on the right path to get the help they need.”
🚆 Alternate career path?
“I once considered forensic science… until I realised it would take nine years of training and there were only two jobs a year in Scotland. That or a train driver!”
👏 Thank you, Richard, for your leadership and for always championing the patient journey — from practice to policy.
