GOC suspends Hounslow based dispensing optician

The General Optical Council (GOC), the UK regulator for optometrists and dispensing opticians, has decided to suspend Jatinder Bhamra, a dispensing optician based in Heston, Hounslow from its register for a period of nine months.

A GOC Fitness to Practise Committee found her fitness to practise impaired by reason of misconduct relating to the Registrant adding points to her personal Boots Advantage Card and using the points to make purchases.

In making the decision, the Committee, chaired by Anne Johnstone, said:

"Dishonesty is always a serious matter and in this case the Registrant occupied a position of particular trust. The Registrant took advantage of her position to commit the acts of dishonesty which the Committee had found proved.

"Therefore, the Committee concluded the Registrant’s fitness to practise is currently impaired.

"The Committee was satisfied that the Registrant has some insight and does not pose a significant risk of repeating behaviour. The Committee concluded that a significant period of suspension would be sufficient in this particular case to maintain the public interest."

Ms Bhamra has until 27 February 2019 to appeal her suspension.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

1. The full determination is available on our past hearings page
2. A full transcript of the hearing is available on request and payment of an administration charge.
3. Read our guide to the FTP process
4. The registrant’s date of most recent registration with the GOC as a dispensing optician was 9 April 2008. Her GOC registration number is D-12677. Her last registered contact address was in Heston, Hounslow.

For media enquiries please contact:

GOC Communications Team

General Optical Council

t: 020 7580 3898 (option 3)

e: communications@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, performance and conduct amongst opticians. The Council currently registers around 30,000 optometrists, dispensing opticians, student opticians and optical businesses.