General Optical Council

The White Paper 'Trust, Assurance and Safety' set out the Government's proposals to ensure that all the statutorily regulated health professions establish suitable systems for revalidation of their registrants. 

The GOC is committed to ensuring that the revalidation scheme to be established for optometrists and dispensing opticians will be risk-based, targeted, proportionate and which sustains, improves and assures the professional standards of optometrists and dispensing opticians, as well as identifying and addressing poor practice or bad behaviour.

What is meant by revalidation?

Revalidation is a mechanism which allows health professionals to demonstrate, at regular intervals, that they remain both up-to-date with regulator's standards, and are fit to practise.

What are the GOC's proposals for revalidation?

An outline of our proposals is available from the GOC's proposals for revalidation page.

In November 2008, the Non-Medical Revalidation National Working Group issued its report detailing the key principles which were to underpin the revalidation systems of the non-medical health professions regulators.  Further information is available from the National Working Group page.

How can I get involved?

We are consulting extensively on how revalidation will work. To be notified of opportunities to get involved in the revalidation consultation process, please email sgrier@optical.org  

Where can I get more information?

Download the stage 1 consultation document. Or you can read more about the GOC's proposals in Issue 12 of the GOC's Bulletin.

Can't find what you are looking for?  Contact a member of the standards team.