Policy and research papers
One of our strategic priorities is an improved evidence base for making regulatory decisions. We want to ensure that our work is informed by an understanding of the public’s perspective and how optical care for patients is changing. On this page we will publish policy and research papers that contribute to this work.
Registrant survey 2016
Illegal practice
Research into behaviour of contact lens wearers
Standards
Public perceptions
Stakeholder perceptions survey
Optical sector report
Adjustable focus spectacles
Illegal practice
Research into behaviour of contact lens wearers
Standards
Public perceptions
Stakeholder perceptions survey
Optical sector report
Adjustable focus spectacles
Vision and Driving Report
In October 2017 we commissioned a research agency to undertake research with GOC registrants and the public in relation to vision and safe driving.
A mixed quantitative and qualitative approach was taken to this research in the form of online surveys and focus groups with the general public and with registrants. The full research report is now available.
General Optical Council Vision and Driving Research - Final Report.pdf
Summary of Responses to the GOC's Education Strategic Review 2017
In December 2016 we published a call for evidence on our Education Strategic Review asking for feedback on a total of 17 wide-ranging questions about the future of eye care delivery and the implications of these changes for the education of optical professions. We received a total of 55 responses to our call for evidence between 15 December 2016 and 16 March 2017.
We have now published a Summary of the Responses to the call for evidence, along with an annex of all responses where consent was given for publication.
Summary of Responses to the GOC's Education Strategic Review 2017
ANNEX ONE - Education Strategic Review consultation responses public
Accessing Efficiency and Efficacy Gains in Health Professional Regulation
We wished to explore the topic of shared functions within the context of the healthcare professional regulators in the UK and, in particular, the extent to which some sharing options would be effective and cost-efficient whilst protecting patient health and safety.
Accessing Efficiency and Efficacy Gains in Health Professional Regulation
In 2016 we surveyed over 4,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians and optical students. We will be releasing the research in three volumes.
Volume 1: The Future of the Optical Professions
Volume 2: Challenges in the Workplace
Volume 3: The GOC's Role and Regulatory Performance
GOC Registrant Survey 2016 - Full Report
GOC Registrant Survey 2016 - Volume 1
GOC Registrant Survey 2016 - Volume 2
GOC Registrant Survey 2016 - Volume 3
As part of our illegal practice strategy we commissioned research from Europe Economics assessing the health risks associated with illegal optical practice. The report was published in March 2014.
Europe Economics report: health risk assessment for illegal optical practice
As part of our illegal practice strategy we committed to further research and intelligence-gathering.
Research into behaviour of contact lens wearers
As the Europe Economics report had identified safety issues relating to the online purchase of contact lenses we commissioned BMG Research to help us to understand more about the behaviour of contact lens wearers. We published the research report in February 2016.
Contact lens survey research report
Contact lens research - slides from February Council meeting presentation
Contact Lens Cross Breaks Data Tables
BMG Research has also produced an article on its website with data tables that can be interrogated. The link to the article is available here: http://www.bmgresearch.co.uk/general-optical-council-contact-lenses/
If any further analysis or use of this data is made, please ensure that the GOC and the BMG research report are appropriately referenced, and that the information used is in the public interest.
Standards
As part of our consultation on developing new standards for the optical profession, we commissioned Collaborate Research to conduct a stakeholder consultation on our proposed standards of practice. The consultation report was published in July 2015.
Standards for optometrists, dispensing opticians and optical students - Consultation report
As part of our research strategy we have commissioned four pieces of research into public perceptions of the optical professions and the General Optical Council:
Public perceptions research 2019
Public perceptions research 2019 - infographic
Public perceptions research 2019 - Data Tabulations
Public perceptions research 2017
Public perceptions research 2017 - infographic
Public perceptions research 2017 - glaucoma patients
Public perceptions research 2016
Public perceptions research 2015
Stakeholder perceptions survey
In August 2016 we surveyed senior people from 30 of our key stakeholders about their perceptions of the GOC and their views on the future of the optical professions:
Stakeholder Perceptions Survey 2016
Each year we carry out desk-based research on recent developments in the optical sector and the wider environment, to identify the trends and the implications for regulation.
We were contacted in 2014 by Adlens Ltd who had approached Government to request a change in the Opticians Act 1989 to allow for the sale of adjustable focus spectacles over the counter without a prescription. We have been in discussions with Adlens and the Department of Health about the potential consequences of over the counter sale of adjustable focus spectacles, following a report produced by Adlens provided to us in March 2015.
To help inform the Department of Health in considering this matter further we commissioned an independent report from Professor William Neil Charman, to give a view on whether the paper produced by Adlens provided sufficient evidence to assure that the public’s health and safety would not be adversely affected if there was a change in the law to allow for the sale of adjustable focus spectacles over the counter. We also asked what further evidence might be required if the case was not sufficiently made.
We also sought the views of our Standards Committee in October 2015, asking for their views on any benefits that adjustable focus spectacles might bring and any adverse effects that these products might have on the public’s health and safety if they were to be made available over the counter without a prescription.
We provided the Department of Health with Professor Charman’s report and the views of our Standards Committee in October 2015. We note that some stakeholders have called for legislative change to permit the unsupervised sale of all adjustable focus spectacles. Such a change in the law would be a matter for the Government not the GOC. Our view is that, before considering a change to the law, the Government should consult openly and carry out a regulatory impact assessment in order to identify the full range of likely impacts and avoid unintended consequences.
The report from Adlens, Professor Charman’s report and the views of our Standards Committee are available below:
GOC Standards Committee's note
You can also read our statement from May 2017 in respect of adjustable focus spectacles.
Risks in the optical profession
In 2010, we commissioned Europe Economics for this research report, which presents an investigation and assessment of the competency risks inherent in optical practice for optometrists and dispensing opticians, as well as any contextual factors that may influence the likelihood of these risks. It was compiled as part of our development of a revalidation process –– as directed by the Government’s Non-medical Revalidation Working Group –– and has informed the risk profiling of its members.
Europe Economics: Risks in the optical profession
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