SCOPE is proud to announce the winners of its 2025 Independent Prescriber (IP) Bursary Awards, an initiative now in its fourth year. Designed to support optometrists in gaining IP qualifications by covering course fees, the awards continue to attract strong interest from across the UK.
Five exceptional finalists were selected to present clinical case studies and share their motivations for pursuing Independent Prescribing. The judging panel of dedicated advocates for IP was chaired by Professor Nick Rumney and joined by Sarah Farrant and Connan Tam. They commended the finalists for their patient focus, and commitment to clinical excellence.
This year’s winners of the £3,000 bursaries are:
- Jennifer Smith, Broadhurst Optometrists, Preston
- Verinder Singh Bansal, Locum Optometrist, Coventry
Jennifer Smith
Verinder Singh Bansal
The remaining finalists each received a £100 educational voucher in recognition of their excellent submissions:
- Inderpal Ghuman, Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Mohammed Fardin, Specsavers West Bromwich
- Zainab Ahmad, University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Trust
Edel Duffy, Medical Director at SCOPE, commented:
“We’re incredibly proud of this initiative and delighted by the continued enthusiasm from optometrists to upskill through Independent Prescribing. This benefits not only their careers but most importantly, their patients. SCOPE remains committed to supporting the profession through education and clinical development and we are looking forward to the 2026 competition already.”
The SCOPE IP Bursary Awards reflect the company’s ongoing dedication to improving patient outcomes by empowering optometrists to take on extended roles within primary and secondary care.
