GOC registrants have a strong appetite for increased control over their learning and development, according to the results of the regulator’s recent Fit for the Future Continuing Education and Training (CET) consultation.
The 994 responses showed positives attitudes towards the current CET scheme from registrants but many stakeholder organisations were concerned that some aspects of the scheme may not be suitable in the future. They called for changes including a more central role for peer review, the correct balance between autonomous and mandatory learning to prevent deskilling, more support for registrants around reflective practice and a greater emphasis on professional development.
Attitudes to the experiences of peer review were particularly positive from stakeholder organisations, with almost all agreeing that peer review should play a more central role and should be extended to dispensing opticians.
GOC Interim Director of Education, Dr Subo Shanmuganathan, has welcomed findings of the consultation, commenting that: “The Fit for the Future consultation was triggered by the changing demands expected of optical services. Technology is affecting the ways in which diseases of the eye are diagnosed and monitored, and an ageing population is placing increased pressure on hospital eye services, GPs and A&E.
“In the future, GOC registrants will be expected to do more clinical work and it is essential that CET is developed to address these multiple challenges. I thank all our registrants and stakeholders who took part in the consultation and look forward to working with them next year to develop a scheme that is truly fit for the future.”
The Fit for the Future consultation ran from 18 July to 11 September. The current three-year CET cycle will finish on 31 December 2018 and the next cycle will run from January 2019 to December 2021 under the same rules. The GOC will build on the above findings, to shape how the scheme should change from 2022 and will consult again with the professions on its proposals.
The full consultation report is available at here and an infographic with the key findings here.