A Day in the Life of Rebekah

A bit of a different blog from us today, we’d like to introduce you to Rebekah. Rebekah is one of our experienced Optometrists at our Clitheroe practice and she’s kindly given us a rundown of her previous experience and what an average day looks like for her. 

As an independent family-run business, we value strong relationships and getting to know our clients on a personal level, so that you feel comfortable and relaxed every time you visit us. Because of this, we thought it would only be fair for you to get to know us a little better and learn what we get up to on a day-to-day basis.

Where it all began

Rebekah previously worked part-time in a multiple practice (a big chain opticians) as well as at a hospital, as she wanted to gain experience in the field and get the most well-rounded training possible. Working at the hospital allowed Rebekah to experience a variety of cases and help manage patients alongside Ophthalmologists - a great way to widen knowledge and develop all the necessary skills to become a highly skilled professional.

Rebekah then started working at Bayfields, whilst maintaining 1 day a week at the hospital, as she felt it was a better fit for her and more suited to what she wanted for her personal career goal.

At Bayfields, we spend a minimum of 45 minutes on thorough eye examinations - getting to know our clients personally, so we can fully understand their lifestyle and recommend the best possible solution to improve their wellbeing. Rebekah felt this really helped to give the clients more confidence in their experience in practice  -“putting this time aside helps to put the client at ease, as they don’t feel as though they’re getting rushed in and out of the practice with little care or interest”.

Having this substantial amount of time, per examination, allows Rebekah to ask all the questions she needs to make an informed decision and make specific recommendations depending on the client’s preference and lifestyle. This may be that she advises specific lenses for driving or encourages the client to try contacts for the first time to help them feel more confident. Whatever the solution is, Rebekah will ensure this is the best possible outcome for the client and their individual lifestyle. This time also allows for our clients to ask Rebekah any questions or follow up with anything they’re unsure about. 

There have been multiple occasions where our clients have approached Rebekah and expressed the difference they can tell between the level of service they get here at Bayfields, compared to other opticians, which is exactly the kind of feedback Rebekah wants to achieve during her career. It’s important to her that she’s changing and improving people’s lives for the better and she’s achieving this on a daily basis!
 

What an average day looks like for Rebekah

• Rebekah’s day always starts with a team meeting, where she gathers with her other colleagues at Clitheroe to discuss what everyone’s day is looking like. This meeting is an uplifting way to start the day and allows her to focus on the upcoming appointments she has booked that day. It’s also a perfect way to catch up with the team and share any positive stories everyone has from the previous week. 
• Rebekah will usually then grab herself a cup of tea and make her way to the examination room to prepare for her first appointment. 
• Her day is then broken up into 45 minute slots which have been dedicated to one client at a time - usually meeting with 8 clients per day. The eye examination begins with an informal chat to find out a little more about the client’s lifestyle and any issues they may be experiencing. This is then followed up with the practical part of the exam, where the entirety of the client’s eye health will be checked, not just vision.
• Rebekah will then make detailed notes and recommend the best possible solution to the client. Once this has been discussed, and the client is fully happy with moving forward, Rebekah will introduce the client to one of our trained Opticians who will guide them through the steps towards the best solution.
• You can read a little more about what happens during our eye examinations here.

Rebekah’s plans

Rebekah is looking forward to learning about more enhanced services and being able to offer this to her existing, and any new, clients. 

She is also looking to join the local Optical committee this year and we wish her the best of luck!