General Optical Council

Partnerships

Consultations
We strive to engage with patients, the public and other organisations as we carry out our work. These partnerships enable us to keep up with changing needs and expectations. The current consultations page sets out the issues that we are currently consulting on.

We work to a Consultation Framework which sets out how we consult. Our past consultations include:

• Our equality and diversity scheme;
• The standard of proof for FTP hearings;
• Independent prescribing for optometrists; and
• Our enhanced CET scheme

Public and Patient Involvement
The Council participated in the joint health and social care regulators’ Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Group. Past projects include a joint regulators’ information leaflet, and commissioning a healthcare regulation PPI handbook. The group was discontinued in 2011, but GOC staff now attend the PPE Learning Circle which has replaced it.

Our staff and members continue to work with voluntary and campaigning organisations which represent public and patient groups. These include groups with specific interests in eye care services for the visually impaired, diabetics and elderly people.

Other organisations
We work in partnership with the optical professional and representative bodies, and training and educational institutions. The GOC is committed to cooperating with the other UK healthcare regulators.