JUMP TO CONTENT
Specsavers employee smiling

How you can make a difference to your team and local community as a Home Visits Partner

Sam Reed our consultant managing the role
Written by Sam Reed
Posting date: 21 Mar 2024

“I’ve ended up here for a reason and I can see myself doing it until I retire.”



For 8 years, I worked in store across multiple companies. This was until Covid, where I realised what I was doing didn’t fit where I wanted my career to go anymore. I moved into domiciliary in 2021 and quickly settled into this new world, realising it was the career for me. 2-and-a-half-years later, the Specsavers Partner role in a brand-new business came up and I knew I had to take it.

I was a bit apprehensive about going into home visits because I’d never done that before, but alongside my partnership role it’s become the best decision I’ve made. The transition from store, to care homes and now to home visits has been seamless with the support of the Specsavers team. This is what I’ve worked towards since I qualified and I can see it being the rest of my career.

Being a Home Visit hero

There’s a misconception about domiciliary; people worry that it’s an unpleasant experience, but the truth is, it’s completely opposite. There are challenging patients and situations – you’d get that anywhere – but the patients we see are so grateful for our service, welcoming us into their homes. It’s by far the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done. I love making a difference to people’s lives by giving them what is really such a simple service, and allowing them to have access to the same care that you’d get on the high street. Many of our patients worry when they’re no longer able to travel for their sight test, but we give them everything they need, from the comfort of their favourite chair!

Our services don’t just cover the sight test – a lot of our patients are lonely, or unable to perform simple tasks at home. I’ve changed lightbulbs, posted letters and had many a brew and a chat about a patient’s family, life or career. The simple act of giving someone your time and care matters. It’s incredibly rewarding walking away from a visit knowing you’ve made a difference, no matter how small.

Supporting the next generation

We run shadow days for optical assistants and Optometrists to come out with us and see what home visits are like in real life. It’s important for people to see the challenging moments as well as the smooth sailing ones, giving them the chance to learn how reactive you have to be. Our shadow days show people how the tests work, then give them the opportunity to test the patients themselves. This really helps people build up the confidence they need to get involved in home visits.

Growing a little Specsavers family

As a Home Visits partner, it’s more difficult to build team morale than if we were in store because we don’t see each other every day. To bring the team together, we’ve introduced a breakfast club once a month, where we share ideas and updates over coffee and pastries, and we regularly communicate on Teams and WhatsApp, so everyone is kept in the loop.

My business partner Johnny and I try to vary the Optom/OA teams as much as possible so we all have an opportunity to work with everyone, helping us learn from and coach one another. We’re really proud of what we’ve built in Warrington. It’s been a big learning curve but seeing the growth of our team is amazing. From starting out as two partners, an office and a plan, to now four months later as a 15-strong team. We can’t wait to see how much more we can grow, and support other partners to do the same.

Working at Specsavers has been completely different to what I was used to in terms of how well supported and well-structured the company is, and that makes you very proud to wear the Specsavers badge. As a partner here, I feel like I own a piece of something that’s so important to so many and I can come home every day knowing I’ve done a good job.

Sam Reed our consultant managing the role
Written by Sam Reed
List #1

#FeelsLikeSpecsavers

Home is where the hearing is

Teaser

Home Visits

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

06/11/2025

Summary

Home is where the hearing is Aekta Patel, Audiology Director, shares her perspective on the value of partnerships in delivering audiology care through home visits. "It’s a tough gig. But it’s wo

Teaser

Read more
From Bolton to Bristol - How Jumanah got her career moving

Teaser

Optometry

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

06/04/2025

Summary

Jumanah's journey with Specsavers is all about finding the right support and making the most of new opportunities. Despite a bumpy start, she flourished with the help of her amazing team and her own d

Teaser

Read more
From school leaver to Home Visits Director: Danielle's story

Teaser

Audiology

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

05/22/2025

Summary

From school leaver to Home Visits Director: A career built on care, growth, and support  When Danielle left school in 2005, she wasn’t entirely sure what her future would look like - but she k

Teaser

Read more
"I'm passionate that leadership is for everyone!"

Teaser

Support Office

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

05/08/2025

Summary

"I'm passionate that leadership is for everyone!"  In light of Learning at Work Week, Zoe Stebbings, Leadership Development Programme Manager for UK/ROI Retail, tells us about her career journey to

Teaser

Read more
"It's like watching light bulbs come on!"

Teaser

Support Office

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

05/08/2025

Summary

"It's like watching light bulbs come on!"  During Learning at Work Week 2025, Jenny Clifford, Global Learning Experience Design Lead, tells us why she loves learning and how Specsavers supports her

Teaser

Read more
"I wanted something bigger": Anna-Marie's story

Teaser

Dispensing

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

05/02/2025

Summary

Born and raised in England, Anna-Marie moved to Northern Ireland at 18, unsure of her career path. She dabbled in painting and art, but it wasn’t until she took a receptionist role at an independent o

Teaser

Read more
From dispensing optician to being her own boss: Verity's story

Teaser

Dispensing

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

04/28/2025

Summary

Verity's journey from a dedicated dispensing optician to a business owner at Specsavers shines a light on one of the several varied paths a DO (Dispensing Optician) could take with Specsavers. Here,

Teaser

Read more
Mike Davidson

by

Mike Davidson

Mike Davidson

by

Mike Davidson

Make a difference as a Dispensing Optician at Specsavers

Teaser

Dispensing

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

04/14/2025

Summary

Rachel Clarke was seven years old when she decided she wanted to be an optician. Why? Because her ultimate hero, her dad, who knew the answers to every question she ever asked, didn’t know how her

Teaser

Read more
Personal and professional growth: Amy's story

Teaser

Dispensing

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

04/14/2025

Summary

Amy Griffiths, a dedicated Dispensing Optician at the Swansea Specsavers store, has a life that revolves around her passion for optics and her energetic collie, Aurora. "My life kind of really centres

Teaser

Read more
From Optics to Audiology: Kristi’s journey

Teaser

Audiology

Content Type

Blog

Publish date

04/09/2025

Summary

Kristi journey from optics to audiology is a reflection of her determination and passion for helping others. Initially working in the Redditch branch of Specsavers, Kristi was intrigued by a career

Teaser

Read more
Mike Davidson

by

Mike Davidson

Mike Davidson

by

Mike Davidson

View more jobs
List #1

Selected jobs for you

Customer Service Apprentice

Salary

£16,120.00 per annum

Location

Banbury, South, United Kingdom

Contract Duration

Permanent

Area of Interest

Customer Service Apprenticeship

Locations

Banbury

Description

Customer Service Apprentice - Banbury So, you’re a proactive people person, passionate about retail and offering the best customer service? Sounds like you’d be a great fit here. So, if you’ve ever co

Reference

sf-78668-1

Expiry Date

01/01/0001

Aiden Gerry

Author

Aiden Gerry
Aiden Gerry

Author

Aiden Gerry
View job
Audiology Partner

Salary

Location

Darlington, North East, United Kingdom

Contract Duration

Permanent

Area of Interest

Audiology Partner

Locations

Darlington

Description

Position: Audiology Partner Existing Business in: Darlington, Country Durham Salary: Competitive PLUS 50% Profits as Dividends. **PLUS A £10,000 Welcome Bonus!** Our business opening opportunities.Spe

Reference

sf-68225-1

Expiry Date

01/01/0001

View job
Optical Assistant

Salary

£10 - £12.21 per hour

Location

Monmouth, Wales, United Kingdom

Contract Duration

Permanent

Area of Interest

Optical Assistant

Locations

Monmouth

Description

So, you’re a proactive people person ready to be the friendly face our stores need? Sounds like you’d be a great fit here. So, if you’ve had previous optical experience as an Optical Advisor or Dispen

Reference

sf-82804-1

Expiry Date

01/01/0001

View job
View more jobs