We have recently launched consultations on two key areas of GOC policy, and would welcome your feedback on the following issues:
Investigation Committee guidance: We are consulting on the guidance used by our Investigation Committee when deciding what action should be taken in a fitness to practise complaint against a registrant. Issues include: will the guidance help to ensure consistency in decision-making? Are the factors identified in the guidance relevant to the Committee’s consideration of individual cases?
Registration fees: We are also consulting on our registration fee structure, inviting comment on a range of fee options such as: different fees for optometrists and dispensing opticians; lower fees for new registrants; and fees for those on a lower income.
Other open consultations:
Strategy for 2010-15 – closes 31 August 2009
Welsh Language Scheme – closes 11 September 2009
Revalidation scheme – closes 30 September 2009
We take consultation seriously and would like to hear your views on all of these issues. For a look at how we consult, see our consultation framework.
Attend a Council meeting
Our Council is made up of 12 members, all of whom are independently appointed. The Council meets in public four times a year, and members are responsible for setting the strategic direction of the GOC.
Attending a Council meeting gives you an insight into key issues affecting the organisation, and is an opportunity to understand how decisions are made.
There are two remaining meetings this year:
Date: Wednesday 23 September
Venue: 41 Harley Street, London, W1G 8DJ
On the agenda: financial reporting; the future of education visit reports; the CHRE’s performance review of the GOC.
Date: Wednesday 18 November 
Venue: 41 Harley Street, London, W1G 8DJ
On the agenda: decision on 2010-11 registration fees; approving the Council’s draft strategy for 2010-15.
Full agendas and Council papers are published on our website a week before the Council meeting.
If you would like to attend a Council meeting, contact Maria Claridge on mclaridge@optical.org or 020 7307 3469.
GOC visits Citizens Advice conference
On 8 – 9 September, the GOC is exhibiting at the annual Citizens Advice conference in York. This is the first time that we have participated in the event, which will be attended by over 1,000 delegates from a range of backgrounds.
The conference is an opportunity for the GOC to meet Citizens Advice representatives, patients and members of the public. We will be raising awareness of the Opticians Registers, the complaints process, and of our role as the regulator for opticians in the UK.
In line with our stakeholder engagement strategy, we are encouraging greater patient and public involvement in our work. To help us achieve this, we are launching a patient and public survey at the event. The survey is designed to measure public awareness of the GOC, and of opticians as regulated professionals. We also invite suggestions on ways we can improve our services to patients and the public.
In addition, we will launch two information leaflets: About the GOC and How to complain about an optician. Both leaflets and the survey will be available at www.optical.org from the autumn.
About GOC Stakeholder Update
We have sent you this news update because we regard you as a key GOC stakeholder and would like to hear your views on our work. GOC Stakeholder Update is designed to let you know how you can get involved in GOC policy and other developments, and is sent approximately four times a year. We will not share your contact details with any third party. If you do not wish to receive GOC Stakeholder Update, please email sgrier@optical.org with ‘unsubscribe’ in the subject line.
