General Optical Council
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The General Optical Council (GOC) is an organisation in the United Kingdom which maintains a register of opticians and regulates the services provided by dispensing opticians and optometrists. 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 optometrist or work as a dispensing optician 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. {{As of|2019||df=}}, the register had around 30,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, undergraduate optometry students, opticians and optical businesses.{{cite web|url=http://www.optical.org/en/about_us/intro_to_goc/index.cfm|title=Introduction to the GOC|last=|first=|date=|website=|publisher=General Optical Council|archive-url=|archive-date=|accessdate=28 January 2020}}
The GOC sets standards so that every registered practitioner knows what is expected of them.{{cite web|url=http://www.optical.org/en/Standards/index.cfm |title=Standards |publisher=General Optical Council |accessdate=2 August 2014}} 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.{{cite news|title=Optical Confederation updates Safeguarding Guidance|url=http://www.optometry.co.uk/news-and-features/news/?article=6222|accessdate=19 July 2015|publisher=Optometry Today|date=5 August 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150721190213/http://www.optometry.co.uk/news-and-features/news/?article=6222|archivedate=21 July 2015}}
History
The GOC{{Cite web|url=https://www.optical.org/|title=Welcome to the General Optical Council|last=DL|website=www.optical.org|access-date=2018-09-23}} was set up by the Opticians Act 1958 to maintain a register of opticians and to uphold the Act.{{cite web |url=http://www.optical.org/en/about_us/legislation/ |title=About: legislation |publisher=General Optical Council |accessdate=3 August 2014}} 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 UK for "‘aiding and abetting’ sales of contact lenses without the involvement of a qualified optician."{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4292740.stm |title=Health | eBay faces court over lens sales |publisher=BBC News |date=2005-09-29 |accessdate=2011-09-26}}[http://www.optical.org/index_files/news_room/documents/2005-09-28GOCprosecuteseBay.pdf GOC press release - "General Optical Council prosecutes eBay for illegal contact lens sales"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007183152/http://www.optical.org/index_files/news_room/documents/2005-09-28GOCprosecuteseBay.pdf |date=2007-10-07 }}
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.{{cite web |url=http://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/regulators/statutory-regulators-directory/organisation-profile?id=1008e91a-1348-4db4-add8-3176115d8120 |title=Statutory Regulators Directory: Organisation Profile: General Optical Council (GOC) |publisher=Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care |accessdate=16 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129022644/http://www.professionalstandards.org.uk/regulators/statutory-regulators-directory/organisation-profile?id=1008e91a-1348-4db4-add8-3176115d8120 |archivedate=29 November 2014 }}
References
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External links
- {{Official website}}
{{Medical regulation in the United Kingdom}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Eye care in the United Kingdom
Category:Medical and health regulators
Category:Medical associations based in the United Kingdom
Category:Medical regulation in the United Kingdom
Category:Organisations based in the City of London
Category:Organizations established in 1958