Achieving your FBDO qualification is a great accomplishment and one to be celebrated. However, this is just the start of your journey as an eye care professional. Continuing professional learning and development will assist you in planning a fulfilling and exciting optical career.
After your initial registration with the General Optical Council (GOC), you are required to maintain your registration-level skills by attending and participating in GOC-approved continuing education and training (CET).
The GOC’s CET scheme is divided into 3-year cycles, over which you are required to accrue 36 CET points, of which at least 18 must be ‘interactive’, i.e. by completing CET that requires discussion with other GOC registrants. The current 3-year cycle is 1st January 2019 – 31st December 2021. By the end of this cycle you must have gained CET points equivalent to the number of whole months that you will have been on the GOC register as a qualified dispensing optician.
Example:
If you are added to the GOC register in September 2019, you will need 27 points by December 2021.
Please contact the GOC directly if you are unsure of your specific CET requirements once joining the register.
CET points can be gained in a number of ways. ABDO have pledged to offer, as part of the membership fee, at least the minimum GOC CET requirement over the 3-year period. You will find CET articles in the Dispensing Optics journal each month, which you can complete online. ABDO regional CET events, which are free to members, are advertised in the events section of the ABDO website. You may attend CET in any ABDO region.
ABDO CPD events may also have sessions with CET approval and some ABDO College courses or events may have CET approval. There may be a charge for these events.
Click here to access the GOC website
Click here to access the full ABDO Event listings
Click here to access the CET event programme 2019
Look in the diary sections of The Optician or Optometry Today if you have access to them.
b. Use the ‘Search for CET’ tool in the MyCET area of the GOC website.
Make sure that the CET you choose has dispensing opticians included in the target groups. There is no retrospective approval.
The GOC have a full details of their CET scheme in their ‘CET guide for registrants 2019-21’, which can be accessed on their website here.
You can contact the ABDO CPD Office if you would like any advice on CET:
ABDO CPD
5 Kingsford Business Centre
Layer Road
Kingsford
Colchester CO2 0HT
Telephone: 01206 734 155
Email: abdocpd@abdo.org.uk
For further regulatory information about registration with the GOC and your mandatory requirements please visit the ABDO advice and guidance pages: A&G R1 and A&G R5.