College of Optometrists

John Thompson was formerly a Civil Servant working with Ministers to develop and implement their policies. He spent much of his career at the Department of Health where, among other posts, he was Head of the Primary Care Division that included policy onthe non-medical primary care professions (optometrists, dentists and pharmacists). Other senior posts dealt with NHS Reform, AIDS, and the use of medicines in the NHS. Later, at the Home Office he was head of the Crime Prevention Agency and the Crime Reduction Unit. At the Health and Safety Executive he was head of the Chemicals Policy Division. At present he is a Non-Executive Director of the Richmond and Twickenham Primary Care Trust and he was Clerk of the Independent Inquiry into a Professional Body for Pharmacy.

Tony is a Physics graduate from the University of Southampton and has worked his entire career in scientific Research & Development. He started work as a semiconductor process engineer with Phillips and then became an R&D manager at the IBM UK Development Laboratories developing magnetic disc drives. He was involved in an MBO from IBM and subsequently became Technical Director for ADFlex (flexible printed circuits) and then Technical Director for City Technology (electrochemical & optical gas sensors). He is now semi-retired and works occasionally as a consultant. He has had a deep interest in all eye care matters since experiencing a serious eyesight problem as a teenager.