Optometry Professional Bodies
The General Optical Council (GOC) (www.optical.org)
The General Optical Council (GOC) is one of 13 organisations in the UK known as health and social care regulators. These organisations oversee the health and social care professions by regulating individual professionals. 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 and conduct amongst opticians. The Council currently registers around 22,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, student opticians and optical businesses.
It has four core functions:
- Setting standards for optical education and training, performance and conduct.
- Approving qualifications leading to registration.
- Maintaining a register of individuals who are qualified and fit to practise, train or carry on business as optometrists and dispensing opticians.
- Investigating and acting where a registrant’s fitness to practise, train, or carry on business is impaired.
Under the Opticians Act 1989 the General Optical Council registers dispensing opticians and optometrists to practise in the UK. Section 8 of the Act details which routes the Council will recognise for the purposes of registration. Only those persons who have achieved adequate training and practical experience and who have achieved qualifications enabling registration may be registered to practise. A person may not practise as a dispensing optician or optometrist if he/she is not registered with the GOC. It is an offence to practise without being registered and a heavy fine can be imposed.
Every student studying towards a degree in optometry must, by law (Section 8A of the Opticians Act 1989 and General Optical Council Registration Rules 2005), register with the GOC on an annual basis. Student registration has been implemented in order to safeguard the general public. Optometry students come into contact with patients during their degree courses and pre-registration year. The GOC needs to ensure that only those people suited to working within optometry or dispensing optics are able to gain experience of clinical practice, and study towards the necessary qualifications.
Any unregistered student who carries out clinical procedures may face prosecution. In addition, the GOC may not recognise your qualifications when you apply for full registration if you have not been registered as a student throughout your course. A further consequence of non-registration is that students may not be covered by the university’s professional indemnity insurance policy.
To maintain your registration throughout your degree, you must renew your registration each year. The GOC will write to you with a reminder around May/June. Make sure that your contact addresses are kept up to date so that this form does not go astray. If you have not registered by August, you may be removed from the register. This means you will have to begin the whole application process as if you were a new applicant, and you will not be able to participate in clinical work at university until your registration is confirmed.
Once the Faculty have had confirmation from the GOC that you have paid your annual registration fee you will be reimbursed the cost. In order to be reimbursed you need to ensure that you have submitted your bank details online, instructions on how to do this can be found at the following link: http://www.studentnet.manchester.ac.uk/crucial-guide/financial-life/funding/bank-account-details/.
The College of Optometrists is a professional body which supports its members in all aspects of professional development. The College provides the Scheme for Registration, continuous professional development opportunities, and advice and guidance on professional conduct and standards. Student membership is free of charge and will allow access to many benefits. Further information can be found on their website; www.college-optometrists.org/).
The Northern Optometric Society
The Northern Optometric Society is one of the UK’s largest local optometric groups. It organises a programme of lectures throughout the academic year offering continuing education to practicing optometrists in the north west of England. Further information can be found on their website; www.northernoptom.com.
The Association of Optometrists (AOP)
As the leading professional organisation in the UK for optometrists, the AOP promotes the Optometry profession, and the development of high professional and clinical standards, as well as representing the needs and interests of individual optometrists and dispensing opticians.
The AOP provides professional advice on commercial, economic, legal and administrative aspects of the profession and industry to its members and the wider community.
All students (undergraduates and pre-registration trainees) can join the AOP free of charge. Further information can be found on their website; www.aop.org.uk.