General Optical Council

Why is CET changing?

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From January 2013, we will introduce changes to enhance the existing Continuing Education and Training (CET) scheme. This section explains why we are making these changes, and how the enhanced CET scheme could provide a platform for optometrists and dispensing Optcians to be ‘revalidated’ for the future.

What evidence is there in favour of enhancing the existing CET scheme?

In developing our proposals to enhance the CET requirements, we commissioned research into risk, the use of appraisals and public/patient feedback. We also analysed data from the previous two CET cycles, consulted with stakeholders and reviewed research into the effectiveness of different learning methods. The enhancements to the CET scheme are based on the findings of this research

Whilst the risks associated with GOC registrants are generally low, the research did identify a key risk associated with professionally isolated practitioners. Another key risk identifed was the tendancy of registrants to undertake their CET in areas of personal interest, or based on availability, in a preferred learning method such as distance learning.

We held consultation events across the country as part of our research. Patient and public representatives expressed a clear expectation that healthcare professionals should not only be required to keep their knowledge and skills up to date, but also to participate in discussion with peers that allows them to improve their own awareness of good practice and risks. It was felt this interaction was fundamental to maintaining and raising standards across the professions.


How does CET link to revalidation?

We recognise that the concept of ‘revalidation’ can be confusing and worrying for registrants.

The Government requires that all healthcare professionals (including optometrists and dispening opticians) should undergo regular ‘revalidation’. We interpret this to mean that we need to have a suitable mechanism in place to assure the public that our registrants remain fit to practise. We intend to achieve this by enhancing our existing CET scheme in two specific areas:

• Targeting a registrant’s continuing education and training to the areas of risk and
competencies relevant to their scope of practice,
• Registrants will be required to interact with their peers to reflect on their own and others’ practice
By implementing these changes, we believe that CET will be a proportionate mechanism to ensure our registrants have the necessary skills, experience and knowledge to remain fit to practise.

What happens next?

Having developed our proposals we are now undertaking an analysis of the costs and benefits of proposed scheme. We will publish the findings of this work in early 2012.

Evidence base

In forming our revalidation proposals we carried out research to build an evidence base. This evidence will ensure the scheme is proportionate to risk, and that it provides a suitable mechanism for us to assure the public our registrants remain fit to practise. The documents below provide a summary of the evidence gathered.

Patient feedback

 

Appraisals

Acrobat Reader icon Appraisal

Risk research

Acrobat Reader icon Risk Report

Revalidation stakeholder event summary

Acrobat Reader icon Revalidation Consultation Report


CET stakeholder and provider events

Acrobat Reader icon CET Stakeholder Event Summary

Acrobat Reader icon CET Provider Event Summary

Consultation events

Acrobat Reader icon GOC Initial Consultation

Acrobat Reader icon License to Practice Consultation

Future work

We have commissioned research to analyse the costs and benefits of its proposals. This research will be published in 2012.