Sally-Anne Herring, the new NZOSI president

Long-term New Zealand Orthoptic Society Inc (NZOSI) executive Sally-Anne Herring is the society’s new president, replacing Nia Stonex.

Based in Hawke’s Bay, Herring has more than 30 years’ experience in paediatrics and neuro-ophthalmology and was one of the founding members of the then-informal association of orthoptists, now NZOSI.

Herring said her immediate priorities include continuing to work with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to seek clarification on the addition of orthoptists to the critical job-shortage list and speed up immigration permit application access. “We have successfully petitioned the MoH and the Department of Immigration to have orthoptists on the critical job-shortage role list for preferential entry as we do not train orthoptists here in New Zealand and are unlikely to start, due to our small population,” she said.

With her new commitments, Herring has stepped down as NZOSI’s Allied Health Aotearoa representative, a role that has been picked up by Wellington-based orthoptist Elizabeth Gately-Taylor.