General Optical Council

This section explains our role in dealing with complaints. It provides information about how to make a complaint, and how we deal with complaints.

Fitness to Practise complaints about GOC registrants

Anyone can complain to us if they think a GOC registrant is not fit to practise (or train or run a GOC-registered business). We receive complaints from members of the public, patients, carers, employers, the police and other GOC registrants.

A complaint that a GOC registrant may not be fit to practise can be as a result of one or more of a number of different factors including:

• Poor professional performance
• Physical or mental health problems affecting their work
• Inappropriate behaviour
• Being under the influence of alcohol or drugs at work
• Fraud or dishonesty
• A criminal conviction or caution
• A finding by another regulatory body

For more information about fitness to practise complaints, you can read our booklet “How to complain about an optician”:
How to complain about an optician

Criminal offences

If you suspect that an individual or a business may have committed a criminal offence, either by:

• Pretending they are a GOC registrant by using certain professional titles (including “optometrist” or “dispensing optician”); or
• By carrying out healthcare activities that only GOC registrants are legally able to carry out (including eye tests or dispensing glasses to children aged 16 or under)

please contact the Fitness to Practise team

We have a policy about how we deal with criminal investigations and prosecutions, which is explained in our Protocol on the Investigation and Prosecution of Criminal Offences: 
Protocol for the Investigation and Prosecution of Criminal Offences

We can’t:

• Arrange refunds or compensation
• Provide legal advice
• Provide a detailed explanation of what happened during a visit to an optical practice
• Make a GOC registrant apologise to the person making the complaint
• Order a GOC registrant to permit a patient access to their optical records
• Take action in response to false or misleading advertising

If we cannot help with a complaint we will provide details of other organisations that may be able to assist. A list of organisations that may be able to help is provided at the back of our “How to complain about an optician” booklet:
How to complain about an optician

Complaints about optical services

If you are dissatisfied with your glasses or have a consumer complaint (for example if you wish to obtain a refund or have a complaint about customer service issues) please contact the Optical Consumer Complaints Service, on 0844 800 5071 or write to: OCCS, PO Box 219, Petersfield GU32 9BY.

Complaints about the GOC

If you want to make a complaint about the GOC, one of its members or a member of staff please write to:

The Registrar & Chief Executive
GOC
41 Harley Street
London
W1G 8DJ
 

Complaints protocol against the General Optical Council
Complaints protocol against Council members