2023 archived consultation: Managing applications for GOC registration from optical professionals who have qualified outside the UK or Switzerland

This consultation seeks your views on our proposed revised approach to managing applications for GOC registration from optical professionals who have qualified outside the UK or Switzerland, following the introduction of the GOC’s updated education and training requirements. These proposals are available to download at the bottom of this page under the 'related' section. 

The process for managing applications for GOC registration from optical professionals who have qualified outside the UK or Switzerland needs to be updated following the approval in February 2021 of new education and training requirements (ETR) for GOC approved qualifications leading to registration as an optometrist or a dispensing optician.

This is because optical professionals who have qualified outside the UK or Switzerland who wish to join the GOC’s register must meet the same standards of education and training as optical professionals who have qualified in the UK.

At present, optical professionals who have qualified outside the UK or Switzerland applying to join the GOC register are assessed by us against our handbook requirements (Quality Assurance Handbooks for optometry (2015) and ophthalmic dispensing (2011)). If that assessment is successful, applicants then go on to undertake either the College of Optometrists' Scheme for Registration (for optometrists) or ABDO’s examinations (for dispensing opticians).

Now that our two quality assurance handbooks have been replaced by our new ETR, we need to consult on how we might manage applications to the GOC register for optical professionals who have qualified outside the UK or Switzerland, and how we might assess whether they meet our updated ‘Outcomes for Registration’ for optometry and dispensing optics.

In this consultation we propose that the management of the checks the GOC registration team currently undertake will change (checks such as an applicant’s levels of training, experience, registration with their own country’s regulator, and English language testing) as will the assessment of an applicant’s prior qualifications and experience by our independent assessors.

When the consultation has closed we will analyse the consultation responses in line with our Policy on approach to consultation. The final decision will be made by our Council.

Related

• The Proposal - International Registration Consultation and Annex One - Impact Assessment (PDF document)
• Annex Two - International Registration Briefing on Existing Process (PDF document)