About our Council and members

We manage concerns about how optometrists behave, their professional performance, or whether their health is affecting patient care. 

We work closely with the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) to regulate registered practitioners. Both regulators are entrusted with protecting the public, but we have different powers under the law. 

The HCCC can conduct investigations and prosecute practitioners. The Council helps them meet the standards needed to practise safely, and this can include placing restrictions, or conditions, on their registration. 

We have emergency interim powers to suspend or restrict practitioners if we think there is an immediate public safety risk – or if we need to act in the public interest. But our role is to protect patients rather than punish practitioners.

Learn more about the complaints process

The Optometry Council is one of 15 Health Professional Councils in NSW. We have 4 practitioner members and 2 community members.

Practitioners and members of the community apply in response to public advertisements calling for expressions of interest.

The NSW Minister for Health appoints both practitioner and community members based on the skills, experience and knowledge needed for the role.

President 

Vacant

Deputy president and practitioner

Dr Isabelle Jalbert PhD

Practitioner members

Dr Sukanya Jaiswal

Dr Blanka-Anna Golebiowski

Ms Annie Meney

Community members

Mrs Catherine Gregory

Ms Maria Vassiliadis

The HPCA manages the Council’s day-to-day business, from initial complaints assessment to complaint case management, and monitoring practitioners with conditions on their registration. 

We work closely with our HPCA executive officer and their team, and other staff members across the HPCA, who provide legal, financial and other corporate advice. 

Their work is important to our role as the regulatory decision maker. We have different, but complementary, responsibilities.

Understand how NSW regulators work together