Statement on registrants working in different settings during COVID-19 emergency

The GOC has published a statement which provides guidance for registrants working or volunteering in different settings during the COVID-19 emergency.

The statement covers the following areas:

• The NHS and other employers may ask optometrists, dispensing opticians or students to be ready to support the wider COVID-19 response by using their professional skills and experience in different settings in either paid or volunteer roles.
• The NHS has produced guidance on the wider roles that optometrists and dispensing opticians could support and as a regulator, we want to support registrants responding to calls from the NHS and others, while maintaining patient safety.
• When an optometrist, dispensing optician or student is providing support to the wider NHS or healthcare system, the same professional standards apply as in any other situation.
• Registrants should use their professional judgement in deciding whether to perform a task which is an extension of their usual scope of practice or outside of the usual scope of practice of the profession.
• Registrants need appropriate professional indemnity cover for their clinical scope of practice.

To read the statement in full, visit our COVID-19 page.