The General Optical Council (GOC) is an organisation in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

which maintains a register of opticians and regulates the services provided by

dispensing optician An optician is an individual who fits glasses or contact lenses by filling a refractive prescription from an optometrist or ophthalmologist. They are able to translate and adapt ophthalmic prescriptions, dispense products, and work with accessor ...

s and

optometrist Optometry is the healthcare practice concerned with examining the eyes for visual defects, prescribing corrective lenses, and detecting eye abnormalities. In the United States and Canada, optometrists are those that hold a post-baccalaureate f ...

s. The stated function of the GOC is "''to protect the public and promote high standards of professional conduct and education amongst opticians''".

Role

In order to practice as

or work as a

within the UK, individuals must demonstrate to the GOC that they are suitably qualified and fit to practise. The GOC also maintains a register of companies who carry on business as opticians. , the register had around 30,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, undergraduate optometry students, opticians and optical businesses. The GOC sets standards so that every registered practitioner knows what is expected of them. They take action against opticians who do not meet these standards of professional conduct and also against people or companies who break the terms of the Opticians Act. A consultation on new standards of practice in 2015 received 2,000 responses. The Optical Confederation and other trade associations called for the new standards to be proportionate to the risks.

History

The GOC was set up by the Opticians Act 1958 to maintain a register of

optician An optician is an individual who fits glasses or contact lenses by filling a refractive prescription from an optometrist or ophthalmologist. They are able to translate and adapt ophthalmic prescriptions, dispense products, and work with acces ...

s and to uphold the Act. Legislation was subsequently consolidated with the Opticians Act 1989. The GOC was in the news at the end of September 2005 after taking action against

eBay eBay Inc. ( , often stylized as ebay) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that allows users to buy or view items via retail sales through online marketplaces and websites in 190 markets worldwide. ...

UK for "''‘aiding and abetting’ sales of contact lenses without the involvement of a qualified optician.''"

Oversight of health and social care regulators

The Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care (PSA), is an independent body accountable to the UK Parliament, which promotes the health and wellbeing of the public and oversees the twelve UK healthcare regulators, including the General Optical Council.

References

External links

* {{authority control Eye care in the United Kingdom Medical and health regulators Medical associations based in the United Kingdom Medical regulation in the United Kingdom Organisations based in the City of London Organizations established in 1958 Regulators of the United Kingdom 1958 establishments in the United Kingdom