GOC Publishes Findings from Its Standards Review Call for Evidence

The General Optical Council (GOC) has today published its findings from the Call for Evidence as part of its strategic standards review.

The consultation found that all respondents believed scopes of practice for optometrists and dispensing opticians would develop in the future, with a greater role in primary care provision owing to the expected ageing population and growing strains upon the NHS.

Stakeholders responding to the Call for Evidence, which took place between July 2014 and October 2014, also believed that the GOC should be mindful that the rate of change is likely to differ in each of the four nations of the United Kingdom.

GOC Director of Strategy, Alistair Bridge said: "The responses to our Call for Evidence were very insightful and helped us to identify the areas that we need to address in our standards review. We are delighted that such a wide spectrum of stakeholders responded to the consultation, giving us an up-to-date picture of how the delivery of optical care is likely to change across the UK over the next ten years".

The GOC will now consider the findings of the Call for Evidence before it launches its next consultation on new standards on ethics and performance. The GOC is due to launch the consultation in March 2015.

The GOC's findings from the Call for Evidence can be found in full athttps://www.optical.org/download.cfm?docid=D5B7F34F-FDE2-49A5-9954767AD972C4A7

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For further information please contact:

Simon Grier

Communications Manager

General Optical Council

t: 020 7307 3478

e: sgrier@optical.org

About the General Optical Council:

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, conduct and performance amongst opticians. The Council currently registers around 25,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, student opticians and optical businesses.