GOC launches new FtP Focus learning bulletin

The General Optical Council (GOC) has launched ‘FtP Focus’, a new learning bulletin for registrants on the Fitness to Practise (FtP) process. The bulletin, which will be published quarterly, aims to provide insight into the types of concerns the GOC receives and how it assesses them at every stage of investigation.

The first edition focuses on triage, the first stage of the process. It includes case studies, reflection points, top tips and highlights relevant Standards and Continuing Education and Training (CET) to enable registrants to improve their practice and minimise any risks that may be presented to the public, or to the reputation of the sector. It also includes insights from the Optical Consumer Complaints Service (OCCS), an independent mediation service for optical care patients and the professionals providing that care.

Dionne Spence, Director of Casework and Resolutions, said: “Through conversations with practitioners, students and businesses who have either gone through the FtP process themselves or have heard about it through others, we  became aware that there is a lot of work we can do to dispel some of the myths around FtP and also provide valuable insight into how we approach concerns when they are raised.

Even though many registrants will not have any involvement with FtP, we know that the fear of ever receiving a notification from us can be overwhelming and we hope we can do something about that. The reality is we only receive initial concerns about less than 1% of our registrants, which shows the high-quality care the majority of our registrants deliver. The purpose of the FtP process is not to punish, but to ensure that we consider all concerns raised in a timely, fair and transparent manner.”

To download a copy of FtP Focus, visit the GOC website. You can also follow #FtPfocus on the GOC’s Twitter account and LinkedIn page.

The next edition will focus on the investigation stage and will be available in early 2021.