News from Council – 11 December 2024

The General Optical Council (GOC) held its last Council meeting of the year on 11 December 2024. 

GOC strategy and EDI strategy for 2025-30

Council approved the GOC strategy and corresponding Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) strategy for 2025-30, subject to minor amendments.

Following a consultation on the draft strategy from April to July 2024, the GOC has carefully considered the feedback received. Most stakeholders were content with the proposed vision, mission and strategic objectives. They welcomed the emphasis on issues of equity both for patients and registrants, supported the proposals to put patients and the public at the heart of the GOC’s mission, and welcomed the GOC’s increased focus on data and research.

However, stakeholders called for more detail on project plans and how the GOC will measure success, more information on how the strategy will be financed, and a recognition in the strategy of the importance of collaboration with a range of partners in the sector to deliver the objectives.

In response to this feedback, the GOC amended the draft strategy to provide more information on how it intends to finance its strategic ambitions; report on performance and to strengthen the emphasis on cross-sector collaboration.

The EDI strategy describes the GOC’s commitment to promoting equality of opportunity and eliminating discrimination as both a regulator and as a responsible employer and ensures there is clarity around its EDI objectives and how it intends to meet them.

In developing the EDI strategy, the GOC consulted with Council and Council Associates and drew on the expertise of its staff internally, both in terms of their position as employees and the expertise they bring from their various work areas.

The GOC will publish the final corporate and EDI strategies in due course.

Complaints and feedback and acceptable behaviour policies

Council approved updated policies for complaints and feedback and acceptable behaviour when communicating with the GOC.

The updates incorporate feedback from multiple parties, including the Customer Service Excellence accreditor and Professional Standards Authority. The policy wording has also been adjusted to reflect some common issues with managing corporate complaints.

Subject to any final amendments, the GOC will publish the revised policies to its website in due course and communicate the changes to all registrants.

2025-26 registration fees

Council agreed to increase the main registration fee by £10 to £415 (2.5% increase), in line with inflation, and to increase the discount applied to the low-income fee from £120 to £125 (meaning the low-income fee payable will be £290, a 1.75% cost increase on the previous year). Council also agreed to freeze student fees at £30.

Read the full December 2024 Council papers.