ALAN HOPKIRK – 2019 Vice President election candidate

2019 BSHAA VICE PRESIDENT ELECTION

PERSONAL STATEMENT

Family connections made me aware of hearing loss from an early age. I just grew up with it.

My career started in engineering, including a stint at the National Engineering Laboratory on Noise Reduction. Eventually chance led me to Audiology, how lucky was I! I think we are at a cross roads and I believe BSHAA has the potential to make a BIG difference to our profession’s future.

I don’t believe it’s about where we work, National/Independent/NHS/Manufacturer/Academia it’s about how do we make sure the awesomely significant work we do, day in and day out is valued, encouraged and appreciated for the massive difference it makes to the lives of our patients and their families.

We need a much greater profile, so we are more valued by:

• the General Public
• other Health Professionals
• Employers
• Government

A Member of BSHAA for over 20 years, a Fellow since 2002 I joined the Board in January this year. I’m now more aware of the work BSHAA does for its members BEHIND the scenes and the time council members and officers put in to support our Society.

However, at this time of change, with the Likelihood of a College of Audiology taking up some or even all of the Societies roles, I believe we need to work even harder to ensure our voices are heard. It’s YOUR Society and council needs to be much more proactive in engaging with members to determine your views and wants.

Let us be proud of our role as Registered Hearing Aid Dispensers, we are REAL audiologists, delivering cutting edge technology and holistic wide-ranging patient support. We must work to ensure we are heard and valued in the Health community and beyond. If elected I will work tirelessly to do just that.

QUALIFYING STATEMENT

I have been a board member of BSHAA since January 2019. During that time, I have attended eight BSHAA meetings and also BSHAA congress. one strategy day meeting, three council meetings, one standards committee meeting and three membership committee meetings.

In addition to my experience on BSHAA council I have over the years organised several education days in Edinburgh and Glasgow as well as helped at many more BSHAA events.I gained early leadership and team working experience in organising campaigns and chairing meetings in a pre-audiology life, having been a constituency chair, secretary and candidate in local politics. Deciding to focus on my audiology career I felt I could contribute in my local community non-politically and was a founding member of my local community council, serving as treasurer for 10 years.

Initially qualifying and working for a National company for domiciliary dispensing I then moved to another National as a branch manager and then to a local company before deciding to go independent in 2000. As an Independent I have been a sole trader, a sole director in a limited company and also a co-director. Over the years I have worked with others to establish a profitable, efficient hearing company intensely focused on patient satisfaction and choice. Besides, I also run a BTA Tinnitus Support group and among other local hearing activities run an annual Tinnitus & Hearing event attracting over 200 members of the public with speakers such as Professor David Baguley and Dr James Jackson as headline presenters. 

I have consistently ensured my knowledge of audiology is current and this year have attended nine seminars and courses ranging from one to three days in the UK and abroad. Earlier this year I completed the requirements for a PGDip in Rehabilitative Audiology and commenced work on my MSc dissertation in September which I intend to complete over 2 years.

I’ve given careful though to time management if my candidacy was successful and concluded I am prepared and, in a position to ensure I can allocate more of my time to BSHAA to fulfil the role of VP and then President.

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