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  • Updating gender on register

    We are committed to supporting registrants who wish to update their gender on our register and ensuring compliance with the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (GRA) and the Equality Act 2010. We have drafted a policy setting out the process for applying to the... More
    Closed 20 March 2023
  • Customer Feedback Survey

    This survey has been created to help us improve the customer service we provide within our Regulatory Operations team. More
    Opened 23 January 2023
  • Call for evidence on the Opticians Act and consultation on associated GOC policies

    Please refer to the document at the bottom of this page in the 'related' section for the full call for evidence and consultation document and questions. To respond to the survey, scroll down the page and click on 'online survey'. You do not have to answer all the questions. What... More
    Closed 18 July 2022
  • FtP Focus bulletin

    In December 2020, we introduced FtP FOCUS , a learning bulletin for registrants on the fitness to practise process. We published a total of five bulletins, the most recent in December 2021. You may have answered some questions about the bulletin in our 2021 registrant survey. We would like to ask... More
    Closed 17 July 2022
  • Illegal practice strategy review

    We are consulting on a revised illegal practice protocol which is available in the ‘related’ section at the end of this page. The GOC’s overarching objective is the protection of the public. Although not a specific statutory duty, we may act on reports about alleged illegal... More
    Closed 24 January 2022
  • Education and training requirements for entry to the GOC register as a contact lens optician

    This consultation seeks your views on our proposals to update our requirements for specialist entry to the GOC register as a contact lens optician. These proposals are available to download at the bottom of this page under the 'related' section. The consultation has now been extended and... More
    Closed 3 January 2022
  • Education and training requirements for specialist entry to the GOC register (additional supply, supplementary prescribing and independent prescribing)

    This consultation seeks your views on our proposals to update our requirements for specialist entry to the GOC register in the additional supply (AS), supplementary prescribing (SP) and/or independent prescribing (IP) categories. These proposals are available to download at the bottom of... More
    Closed 6 October 2021
  • Remote Hearings Experience

    We have been facilitating remote hearings at the GOC since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. In 20/21 we facilitated 93% of events remotely. We would like to hear about your thoughts and experiences with remote hearings. We are keen to identify what went well, what hasn’t... More
    Closed 4 October 2021
  • Hearings and indicative sanctions guidance 2021

    As the UK regulator for optometrists and dispensing opticians, we are committed to protecting the public, maintaining standards, and responding to concerns about the fitness to practise of our registrants. In doing so, there are circumstances in which we need to hold hearings. ... More
    Closed 23 September 2021
  • Service of statutory notices by email policy

    There are circumstances in which our legislation requires us to issue statutory notices or notifications (‘notices’) to our registrants (for example, removal of a registrant from the register, refusal to retain or restore a registrant on/to the register, or notice of an interim order... More
    Closed 23 September 2021
  • Remote hearings protocol 2021

    As the UK regulator for optometrists and dispensing opticians, we are committed to protecting the public, maintaining standards and responding to concerns about the fitness to practise of registrants. As part of our fitness to practise process, there are circumstances in which we hold... More
    Closed 23 September 2021
  • CET exceptions policy

    Continuing Education and Training (CET) is a statutory requirement for all fully-qualified optometrists and dispensing opticians. All fully-qualified registrants must earn a minimum number of CET points and meet a minimum set of requirements by the end of each cycle to stay on the... More
    Closed 8 July 2021
  • Case Management Meetings - Post-Pilot Review

    This survey seeks stakeholder views in relation to the case management meeting process, following the conclusion of the pilot which ended on 30 April 2021. The process was designed to minimise delays that can arise during the pre-hearing preparation period, which has led to... More
    Closed 18 June 2021
  • Draft guidance for registrants: Speaking Up

    Within the GOC’s Standards of Practice for Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians there is a requirement at Standard 11 to protect and safeguard patients, colleagues and others from harm. This includes expectations to raise concerns about patient/public safety, act on them (if... More
    Closed 10 March 2021
  • CET Rules consultation

    This consultation seeks stakeholder views on changes we intend to make to our Continuing Education and Training (CET) Rules 2005 (amended in 2012). We are amending our CET Rules in order to underpin the changes that we will introduce at the start of the new three year Continuing Professional... More
    Closed 28 January 2021
  • COVID-19 statements

    This consultation seeks views on how the GOC can continue to support our registrants and the optical sector throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as different parts of the UK experience local and potentially national restrictions now and in the future. In particular, we would... More
    Closed 7 January 2021
  • Acceptance criteria policy for GOC business registrants

    This consultation seeks the views of stakeholders on the introduction of an acceptance criteria policy specifically for GOC business registrants. The purpose of the acceptance criteria is to provide greater clarity and guidance on when we can open an investigation against a business... More
    Closed 29 October 2020
  • Education and training requirements for GOC approved qualifications

    This consultation seeks your views on our proposals to update our requirements for GOC approved qualifications leading to registration as an optometrist or a dispensing optician. What are we seeking your views on? We are seeking your views on; • ... More
    Closed 19 October 2020
  • CPD (CET) review proposals

    This consultation seeks stakeholder views on our proposals to introduce changes to our Continuing Education and Training (CET) scheme to make it more flexible and less prescriptive, allowing registrants greater freedom to undertake learning and development which is relevant to their own... More
    Closed 20 August 2020
  • Temporary changes to our Optometry Handbook and Supervision policy

    We are consulting on proposed temporary changes to our Accreditation and Quality Assurance Handbook for Optometry and our Supervision policy, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a targeted consultation and we are particularly interested in the views of those affected... More
    Closed 6 August 2020
  • Draft Strategic Plan 2020-2027

    The General Optical Council is the regulator for the optical professions in the UK. Our purpose is to protect the public by promoting high standards of education, performance and conduct amongst opticians. This consultation seeks stakeholder views on our draft strategic plan, which ... More
    Closed 17 January 2020
  • ESR Open Canvas for Ophthalmic Dispensing: Task 2

    The ESR Open Canvas is a forum for interested stakeholders to respond and participate in the work of the GOC’s ESR Expert Advisory Groups. The thoughts generated in this space will feed into our work on the ESR. All individuals participating in the forum do so without anonymity and... More
    Closed 6 December 2019
  • ESR Open Canvas for Optometrists: Task 2

    The ESR Open Canvas is a forum for interested stakeholders to respond and participate in the work of the GOC’s ESR Expert Advisory Groups. The thoughts generated in this space will feed into our work on the ESR. All individuals participating in the forum do so without anonymity and... More
    Closed 6 December 2019
  • ESR Open Canvas for Ophthalmic Dispensing: Task 1

    The ESR Open Canvas is a forum for interested stakeholders to respond and participate in the work of the GOC’s ESR Expert Advisory Groups. The thoughts generated in this space will feed into our work on the ESR. All individuals participating in the forum do so without anonymity and... More
    Closed 5 November 2019
  • ESR Open Canvas for Optometrists: Task 1

    The ESR Open Canvas is a forum for interested stakeholders to respond and participate in the work of the GOC’s ESR Expert Advisory Groups. The thoughts generated in this space will feed into our work on the ESR. All individuals participating in the forum do so without anonymity and... More
    Closed 5 November 2019
  • General Optical Council - Case Management Meetings

    This consultation seeks stakeholder views about introducing an pre hearing case management process. The case management process is intended to ensure cases are hearing ready, to reduce delays and make the best use of hearing time. The case management procedure is... More
    Closed 25 October 2019
  • Disclosing confidential information about patients (including where patients may not be fit to drive): draft guidance for GOC registrants

    Some registrants and members of the public have requested more clarity about when to disclose confidential information in the public interest. We have therefore developed draft guidance on disclosing confidential information which covers the following: General principles of disclosing... More
    Closed 13 June 2019
  • Education Strategic Review

    This consultation forms part of our Education Strategic Review (ESR) and follows on from our analysis of key findings from the Concepts and Principles Consultation published earlier this year. As the regulator for optometrists and dispensing opticians, o ur role is to... More
    Closed 25 February 2019
  • Fit for the Future: Lifelong Learning Review

    This consultation seeks stakeholder views on our Continuing Education and Training (CET) scheme. Our aim in consulting is to gain your views on how our CET scheme can successfully evolve to help meet the challenges of the future. As the regulator for optometrists and... More
    Closed 11 September 2018
  • Standards for Optical Businesses

    The General Optical Council needs to update its current standards for optical businesses to make sure they are consistent with the Standards of Practice that apply to optometrists and dispensing opticians and ensure that they are up to date. We have produced draft standards for consultation... More
    Closed 30 August 2018
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