General Optical Council

The General Optical Council (GOC) has today issued a call for evidence as it launches a strategic review of the standards it sets for optometrists and dispensing opticians.

The review will seek to ensure that the GOC’s standards continue to reflect good practice now and in the future, while enabling optical professionals to develop their roles – for example, by delivering more enhanced services in the community.

The call for evidence asks stakeholders to consider how optometrists and dispensing opticians’ scopes of practice may evolve in the future, and how the GOC’s standards should therefore adapt to ensure continuing patient safety.

GOC Chief Executive and Registrar, Samantha Peters, said: “An increasing number of older people, pressures on the NHS and new technology will all have a significant impact on the optical sector in the coming years.

“It is crucial that our standards reflect the changing nature of optical care – allowing practitioners to flourish while ensuring patient safety remains paramount. To help us in this project I’d encourage all of our stakeholders to consider how the world of optics may change in the coming years and feed into our call for evidence.”

The call for evidence closes on 10 October 2014. It is open for the public to respond to at http://www.optical.org/en/get-involved/consultations/index.cfm

ENDS

For further information please contact:
Simon Grier
Communications Manager
General Optical Council
t: 020 7307 3478
e: sgrier@optical.org

NOTES TO EDITORS:
About the General Optical Council:
The GOC is the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Its purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, conduct and performance amongst opticians. The Council currently registers around 26,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, student opticians and optical businesses.