General Optical Council

Two weeks to retention deadline

All full registrants must apply for retention in the Opticians Register within the next two weeks, to avoid removal on 1 April.

Under the rules, registrants must return a completed application form and payment to remain on the Register. Following the end of the first three-year cycle for CET, practitioners must also demonstrate that they have met the minimum requirement for CET points.

Over 90 per cent of all practitioners had completed and confirmed their CET by 31 December 2006. Of the remainder, over 400 have since made up their shortfall. However, at 26 February only 53% of registrants had returned a retention application.

Anyone who fails to return a completed form and payment and meet the CET requirement will be removed from the register on 1 April. The list of registrants not renewed will be published on the Council website, and copies sent to Primary Care Trusts.

Registrants do not need to notify the Council when they have achieved their CET points requirement. The GOC will be automatically notified of everyone who has ‘earned and confirmed’ the minimum number of points required by CET administrator Vantage Technologies.

Student registrants will be sent a renewal form in April, which they will need to return by the student retention deadline of 15 July 2007.