Dr Michelle Hennelly

Overview

Dr Michelle Hennelly BSc (Hons) FCOptom PhD SFHEA

Dr Hennelly is the MSc Programme Director for the MSc in Clinical Optometry and the MSc in Advanced Ophthalmic Nurse Practitioner (Health and Social Care). She is a highly experienced optometrist, specialising in Masters and Continuing Education and Training in the field of postgraduate Optometry. Educational and curriculum development skills have been honoured both nationally and internationally. She was awarded a Fellow of the College of Optometrists in 2019 recognising her influence and direction in training UG and PG optometrists for the last 23 years. In addition, she was awarded Senior Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy in 2020. She was also recently appointed VISION 2020 - International Centre for Eye Health - London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine - Curriculum Director for Tanzania, Ghana and Botswana, responsible for mapping curriculums across countries, establishing common learning outcomes, teaching methods and methods of assessment in optometry/ophthalmic nursing. She is a member of the Editorial Board and Consultant Editor for the international journal Community Eye Health - International Centre for Eye Health - London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. The journal is translated into five languages and reaches over 35,000 eye care workers globally.


Following a degree in Ophthalmic Optics at Cardiff University, Dr Hennelly completed her pre-registration year at Moorfields Eye Hospital, London. She was awarded a PhD for her research into psychophysics/contact lenses at City, University of London. Upon completion of her Doctoral Thesis, entitled 'The light scattering characteristics of the normal and contact lens wearing eye'. Since this time, she has specialised in the development of innovative and professional accredited Masters Programmes in Clinical Optometry at the forefront of optometric education. In addition, she was the CET co-ordinator and editor for the City, University of London CET series run in conjunction with Optometry Today/Association of Optometrists. During her time at City, she has supervised 2nd and 3rd clinics, lectured in special clinical techniques, eye disease and ocular therapeutics, directed the Contact Lens Referral Clinic - a specialist clinic for medical contact lens fitting and supervised UG and MSc dissertations.


Currently, Dr Hennelly is responsible for the many students who attend the various MSc/CET modules at the University. She has run over 150 three-day modules, developed 15 MSc courses in addition to organising and editing four distance learning courses and co-ordinated and edited over 150 CET articles. She has been instrumental in devising the independent prescribing programme and in securing GOC and College of Optometrist professional accreditation for every aspect of the Postgraduate programme.

Qualifications

1. FCOptom, College of Optometrists, College of Optometrists, United Kingdom, Jul 2019
2. PhD, City, University of London, United Kingdom, Jan 1997 – Jan 2000
3. MCOptom, College of Optometrists, United Kingdom, Jan 1993 – Jan 1994
4. BSc (Hons), Cardiff University, United Kingdom, Jan 1990 – Jan 1993

Postgraduate training

1. Salus University Independent Prescribing training, Salus University, Philadelphia, United States, 2009
2. Pre-registration Optometrist, Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, United Kingdom, Jan 1993 – Jan 1994

Administrative roles

1. School of Health Science periodic review panel member
2. Member of PG Staff Student Liaison Committee
3. Member of PG Programme Committee
4. Member of PG Forum
5. Member of Board of Studies

Employment

1. Editorial Board Member, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Jan 2019 – present
2. Consultant Editor, Community Eye Health international journal - International Centre for Eye Health - London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Jan 2019 – present
3. PG Co- Module Lead (with Prof John Lawrenson) - Independent prescribing programme, City, University London, 2005 – present
4. CET co-ordinator and editor, Optometry Today - Association of Optometrists, Jan 1999 – Jan 2010
5. MSc Programme Director, City, University London, Jan 1997 – present

Fellowships

1. Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA), Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Feb 2020 – present
2. Fellow of the College of Optometrists (Contribution to Optometry Education) (FCOptom), College of Optometrists, Jul 2019 – present

Teaching

Modules taught on

- Module Lead
- Co-module leader - Principles of Therapeutics
- Co-module leader - Principles of Prescribing
- Primary eye care
- Diabetes
- Therapeutics.

Research interests

- Optometry Prescribing
- Curriculum and capacity development in multidisciplinary eye care
- Reducing blindness in sub-Saharan Africa

Areas for supervision

MSc and UG dissertations
Optometry Prescribing
- Curriculum and capacity development in multidisciplinary eye care
- Reducing blindness in sub-Saharan Africa

Publications by category