GOC launches CET guidance booklet

The General Optical Council has today launched a booklet providing its registrants with guidance for the 2016-18 Continuing Education and Training (CET) cycle.

The booklet assists registrants with all aspects of CET, including changes for this cycle such as the addition of a new ‘Standards of Practice’ competency for optometrists and dispensing opticians to help them apply the GOC’s new Standards of Practice which come into force on 1 April 2016.

The booklet also provides guidance on how registrants can make greater use of their Personal Development Plan (PDP), which allows registrants to reflect on their scope of practice, identify learning goals and further their professional development.

GOC acting head of education and standards, Marcus Dye, said: “This guide is intended to help registrants get the most out of their CET, and I encourage all registrants to use this booklet to ensure that they maintain and develop their skills and knowledge. We have taken on board feedback from registrants in making clearer some aspects of MyCET, and have included further guidance on how registrants can apply to provide peer review sessions through the system.

“I’d particularly like to encourage registrants to make use of the personal development plans to plan their professional development and complete reflection statements as a way of considering how they can apply their CET in practice.”

All registrants have been emailed a copy of the booklet, which can also be found on the GOC’s website. They will receive a copy by post in April along with their 2016/17 retention certificate.

The 2016-18 CET cycle opened on 1 January 2016, and will run until 31 December 2018. Registrants are required to obtain 36 CET points across the three year cycle, with a minimum of one peer review session mandatory for optometrists and contact lens opticians. Registrants must meet all core competencies for their professional group, as well as obtain a minimum of half their CET points through completing interactive CET.

98 per cent of registrants met their CET requirements in the 2013-15 cycle.