ABDO is seeking members’ views on the General Optical Council’s (GOC) consultation on the testing of sight, supervision and delegation, to help inform its official response.
As previously reported, the GOC is consulting on two linked proposals, which could have important implications for how optical care is delivered in the future:
Upon launching the consultation, the GOC stated: “Eyecare has developed significantly over the past decade or more. This transformation, both within the workforce and through technological advancements, means our 2013 position statement on the testing of sight no longer reflects current practice.”
By updating the 2013 statement, the GOC said it was seeking “to provide clarity for registrants by setting out the relevant legislation, support responsible innovation in sight testing formats, and increase public protection by putting appropriate safeguards in place“.
“ABDO supports and helps develop appropriate modernisation and innovation in eyecare,” said Max Halford, ABDO clinical and policy director. “However, changes to supervision and delegation have implications that extend beyond the sight test itself. We therefore want to understand what these proposals could mean in real practice – for dispensing opticians, contact lens opticians, practice owners and patients.”
ABDO will submit a formal response to the consultation, shaped by the experience and views of its members.
To support members in responding to its request for feedback, the Association has produced a summary of the GOC consultation document, highlighting the key issues and options.
It has also created a short member survey to gather members’ views on the key proposals.
In addition, members can email their views to policy@abdo.org.uk – as well as respond direct to the consultation via the GOC consultation hub.
The GOC consultation closes on 21 October, and ABDO is asking members to submit their feedback by 12 October.