Independent Practice of the Year (sponsored by Insight Hearing): Kelcher Optometrists
Kelcher Optometrists were announced as the winners of the Independent Practice of the Year (sponsored by Insight Hearing) in April.
Kelcher Optometrists exemplifies independent practice excellence through outstanding clinical standards, strong adherence to College of Optometrists guidelines, and sustained, long-term investment in technology including OCT, Optomap, electronic patient records, and cloud-based practice management systems. Patients benefit from a calm, unrushed environment, continuity of care with the same optometrist, and a highly personalised dispensing and collection experience supported by digital tools such as varifocal simulation and post-exam educational videos.
Exceptional staff retention – with many team members serving for over a decade – alongside flexible working, peer learning, and visible director appreciation reflects a deeply embedded, values-led culture. The practice has embraced innovation through telemedicine, digital dispensing, and modern communication platforms including TikTok, while maintaining strong multidisciplinary links with GPs, pharmacies, and hospital services to support complex case management.
Deep-rooted community engagement, including long-term sponsorship, significant charity fundraising such as the Fire Walk, children’s screening initiatives, and visible presence in local schools, churches, and sporting events, combined with multi-generational family loyalty and strong online reviews, position Kelcher as a trusted community brand and a standout independent practice.
The practice’s active involvement in the optical circuit, and their leadership role within the Local Optical Committee (LOC) further demonstrate Kelcher’s commitment to sector leadership, collaboration, and the advancement of independent optometry.”
We spoke to Michaela about their win:
What does winning Independent Practice of the Year mean to you and your team?
Winning Independent Practice of the Year has been an incredible honour and recognition of the hard work of every team member -always going that extra mile -and I feel that is what makes our practice special.
When you think about what makes your practice truly special, what stands out most?
Our community connection and the relationships that we have built up with our patients is what stands out most for our practice. Many of our patients are longstanding and loyal and we know them very well. They often recommend us to other friends and family and new relationships grow.
Beyond the accolades, what keeps you passionate about what you do every single day?
What keeps us passionate is the opportunity to make a genuine difference to people’s lives every single day. Good vision and visual comfort impacts everything and we really can make a difference – from diagnosing eye disease to finding the perfect frame!
Knowing that Optometry can have such a positive impact is incredibly rewarding.
Take us back to the moment your name was announced — what was going through your mind?
The competition was so strong and after watching all the entry videos we did not think it was going to happen for us. I was staring at the table when our name was announced and was genuinely in shock – I’m glad that our friends at the next table filmed it as I love watching it over and over! Walking up on the stage with my team was the best feeling ever, you can see the tears in my eyes on the professional photo!
How have you celebrated this win, and what has the reaction been from patients, staff and your local community?
The reaction has been incredible! The week after the win we had many patients calling in to congratulate us with kind words, flowers and lots of chocolates!
We have been featured in our local newspaper twice and it was great reading our practice’s achievement in the optical press.
As the weeks have gone by we’ve had more visits from our frame and lens Reps, Staffordshire council and even our local MP! We actually feel a bit famous!
What’s next for the practice — are there any plans or ambitions you can share with us?
Our next big step follows the dry eye training we’ve all completed: we have invested in advanced dry eye technology to enhance how we diagnose and manage the condition at the practice!
Alongside this, we’ve updated our look with a fresh layout and we are going for a new colour scheme in the frame area. This award has been amazing for us and we are really excited about the future, but providing exceptional service and care will always remain our top priority!
Thank you SightCare!
