Brenda Billington

Curriculum Vitae

Brenda M Billington OBE MB ChB DO FRCS FRCOphth (Hons) FEBO

GMC Number 1726129

Awards

Appointed OBE in the Queen's Jubilee Birthday Honours List 2012

Awarded Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists 2015

Last Appointment

Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon 1985-2011, specialising in cataracts, vitreoretinal surgery and paediatric ophthalmology.

Royal Berkshire NHS Trust, London Road, Reading, Berkshire RG1 5AN

Qualifications

MB ChB The University of Birmingham Medical School 1974.

Full Registration General Medical Council 1975.

Diploma in Ophthalmology: London 1976.

Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 1980.

Higher Surgical Training Accreditation in Ophthalmology 1982.

Fellow of the Royal College of Ophthalmologists 1989.

Registered as a Specialist in Ophthalmology 1996.

Fellow of the European Board of Ophthalmology 2003.

Professional Affiliations

Royal College of Ophthalmologists:

Regional Representative and Council Member: 1995-2000

Honorary Secretary: 2000-2003

Vice President and Chairman of Professional Standards Committee: 2003 - May 2006

President: May 2006 - May 2009

Charitable Trustee: 1995-2009

Oxford Ophthalmological Congress

British and Eire Association of Vitreoretinal Surgeons

Southern Ophthalmological Society: Council Member 1994-1997

British Medical Association

The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London

Reading Pathological Society

Medical Protection Society

Royal Society of Medicine

Previous Appointments

House physician in General Medicine and Neurology:
Selly Oak Hospital, Birmingham 1974-75

House surgeon in General Surgery & Casualty Officer:
The General Hospital, Birmingham 1975

Senior House Officer in Ophthalmology:
The Princess Margaret Hospital, Swindon 1975-76

Registrar in Ophthalmology:
Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading 1976-78

Senior House Officer in Neurosurgery and Neurology:
The Midland Centre for Neurosurgery and Neurology, Smethwick 1978

Resident Surgical Officer and Senior Resident:
Moorfields Eye Hospital, City Road, London 1978-82

Joint Senior Registrar in Ophthalmology Specialising in Vitreo Retinal Surgery:
St Thomas' Hospital and Moorfields Eye Hospital, London 1982-85

Publications:

'Miniprobe for Measurement of Lacrimal Sac Temperature'
- Billington BM, Hurwitz JJ, Galbraith DJ, Gentles W:
Ophthalmic Surgery 1984, 15, 680-683.

'Treatment of Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment Uncomplicated by Massive Periretinal Proliferation by Pars Plana Vitrectomy'
- Billington BM, Chignell AH:
Transactions of the Ophthalmological Society of the UK,
1984, 104, 120-122.

'Management of Retinal Detachment in the Wagner-Stickler Syndrome'
- Billington BM, Leaver PK, MacLeod D:
Transactions of the Ophthalmological Society of the UK,
1985, 104, 875-879.

'Vitrectomy and Fluid/Silicone Oil Exchange for Giant Retinal Tears: Results at 18 months'
- Billington BM, Leaver PK:
Graefe's Archives for Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology,
1986, 224, 7-10.

'The Treatment of Macular Holes by Pars Plana Vitrectomy and Internal Air/SF6 Exchange'
- Chignell AH, Billington BM:
Graefe's Archives for Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology,
1986, 224, 67-68.

'Pars Plana Vitrectomy for Retinal Detachment with Unseen Retinal Holes'
-Wong D, Billington BM, Chignell AH:
Graefe's Archives for Clinical Experimental Ophthalmology,
1987, 225, 269-271.

'Vitrectomy and Fluid/Silicone Oil exchange for Giant Retinal Tears: 5 years follow up'
- Leaver PK, Billington BM:
Graefe's Archives for Clinical & Experimental Ophthalmology,
1989, 227, 323-327.

'Immunoglobulins in Paired Specimens of Vitreous and Subretinal fluid from Patients with Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachments'
- Rose GE, Billington BM, Chignell AH:
British Journal of Ophthalmology,
1990, 74, 160-163.

'Cheaper can be better: Cutting costs and improving Low Vision Aid Service'
- Landers A, Tapley J, Billington BM, Almgill V, Mitchell-Baker A:
British Journal of Visual Impairment
1999, 17:3 111-115

'National Audit of the outcome of primary surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment'
I. Sample and methods
- Thompson JA, Snead MP, Billington BM, Barrie T, Thompson JR, Sparrow JM
Eye 2002; 16: 766-770

'National Audit of the outcome of primary surgery for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment'
II. Clinical Outcome
- Thompson JA, Snead MP, Billington BM, Barrie T, Thompson JR, Sparrow JM
Eye 2002; 16: 771-777

'Initial impact of independent-sector treatment centres: a survey of ophthalmology clinical directors in England.'
- B G Foot, S Kelly, N Astbury, B Billington
Poster presented at Annual Congress Royal College of Ophthalmologists, Manchester May 2006

Research Interests

Colour Selection and the Visually Impaired - A Design Guide for Building Refurbishment. 1995- 1997
Department of Construction Management and Engineering, Reading University, Department of the Environment, Royal National Institute for the Blind, ICI Paints.

Intersight Project:
Guide Dogs for the Blind Association. 1995-1996
a) To develop professional training in low vision.
b) To develop low vision assessment and training centres.
c) To develop low vision reference library journals, books, computer software.

Royal National Institute for the Blind: Parent Support Project. 1995-1996
Member of advisory group.
'Taking the time, telling parents their child is blind or partially sighted' RNIB Publication: 1996.

Managerial Responsibilities

Divisional Director for Surgery, Royal Berkshire Hospital 2009-11 Managing 55 consultant surgeons and sitting on Trust Executive Board

Lead Clinician, Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Berkshire Hospital 2003-4, managing five consultant colleagues, eight Associate specialist and Clinical Assistant ophthalmologists and 5-7 trainees.

Responsible for developing service & cooperation across Berkshire county 2001

Assisted in appointment of additional consultant to manage medical retinal disorders including delivering National Service Framework for diabetic retinopathy screening and NICE guidelines for management of age related macular degeneration 2003

Trained in Appraisal procedures 2003

Responsible for annual appraisal of eight Associate Specialist and Clinical Assistant ophthalmologists and consultant colleagues on request

Trust Discretionary Points process co-ordinator 2002

Trust Clinical Excellence Awards process co-ordinator 2003-2006

Appointed professional member ACCEA South committee for 2010 round

Royal College representative on Department of Health working party for revision of Visual Impairment Registration process for England and Wales 2002-3

STA then PMETB Appeals Panel Medical Member 2002-2011

Member consultant contract appeals panel 2004-2011

Since retirement

Various voluntary activities including:

Trustee of the charity British Council for the Prevention of Blindness 2014 - 2019