General Optical Council (GOC) Regulations

General Optical Council (GOC)

• Established by Opticians Act 1958 to regulate optometry
• Regulates optometrists, dispensing opticians, student optometrists, and student dispensing opticians
• 4 core functions:
  • Setting standards for optical education and training, performance, and conduct
  • Approving qualifications leading to registration
  • Maintaining a register of qualified and fit individuals to practice, train, or carry on business as optometrists and dispensing opticians
  • Investigating and acting where registrants' fitness to practice, train, or carry on business is impaired

Guidance for Professional Practice

• Set by professional bodies, not legislation
• Defines good practice
• Not instructions
• Permit professional judgement
• Sections include:
  • Knowledge, skills, and guidance
  • Safety and quality
  • Communication, partnership, and teamwork
  • Maintaining trust

GOC Standards for Optometrists

• 18 standards:
  • Listen to patients and put them at the heart of decisions about their care
  • Communicate effectively with patients
  • Obtain valid consent
  • Show care and compassion for patients
  • Keep knowledge and skills up to date
  • Recognize and work within limits of competence
  • Conduct appropriate assessments, examinations, treatments, and referrals
  • Maintain adequate patient records
  • Ensure supervision is undertaken appropriately and complies with the law
  • Work collaboratively with colleagues in the interests of patients
  • Protect and safeguard patients, colleagues, and others from harm
  • Ensure a safe environment for patients
  • Show respect and fairness to others and do not discriminate
  • Maintain confidentiality and respect patients' privacy
  • Maintain appropriate boundaries with others
  • Be honest and trustworthy
  • Do not damage the reputation of the profession through conduct
  • Respond to complaints effectively
  • Be candid when things have gone wrong

Representative Bodies

• Association of Optometrists (AOP):
  • Provides services to its members (optometrists)
  • Mission is to protect individual professional interests and provide unrivaled support for delivering high-quality eye care
  • Vision is to assist members in prospering in their practice and for eye health and the work of members to be recognized by the public as an important health benefit
• College of Optometrists:
  • Provides pre-registration training and assessment, and continuous professional development
  • Purpose is to improve and conserve human vision, advance the study of optometry, and promote the science and practice of optometry

Legislation

• Opticians Act 1989:
  • General Optical Council
  • Registration and training of opticians
  • Fitness to Practice
  • Proceedings and appeals
  • Restrictions
  • Miscellaneous
• Medicines Act:
  • Classification of medicines:
    • Prescription Only Medicines (POM)
    • Pharmacy medicines (P)
    • General Sales List (GSL)
• Mental Capacity Act 2005:
  • Applies to everyone involved in the care, treatment, or support of people who are unable to make decisions
  • Presumption of capacity: must work on the presumption that every adult has the capacity to make decisions
  • Must not assume an adult lacks capacity based on certain factors (e.g., age, disability, appearance)
• Gillick Competence:
  • Children with sufficient understanding and intelligence to enable them to understand fully what is involved in a proposed intervention also have the capacity to consent

GOS Benefits, Fees, and Charges

• Entitled to a free NHS sight test if:
  • Under 16 or under 19 and in full-time education
  • Aged 60 or over
  • Registered blind or partially sighted
  • Diagnosed as having diabetes or glaucoma
  • Aged 40 or over with first-degree relative with glaucoma, or advised by an ophthalmologist that you are at risk of glaucoma
• GOS test fee: £21.71
• Optical voucher values: 10 categories (A-J)

Education and Training

• Complete an accredited undergraduate degree in optometry
• Complete a pre-registration period (often referred to as the pre-reg year)
• Pass the Professional Qualifying Examination
• Apply for registration with the GOC
• Maintain registration through annual renewal and continuing professional development (CPD)

Duty of Candour

• Must be open and honest if something goes wrong with treatment or care
• Must:
  • Tell the patient when something goes wrong
  • Apologize to the patient
  • Offer remedy or support
  • Explain the short-term and long-term effects to the patient
• Must be open and honest with healthcare professionals, employers, and other organizations