Qualifications in Additional Supply (AS), Supplementary Prescribing (SP) and/or Independent Prescribing (IP) categories

In December 2021, our Council approved new education and training requirements for GOC-approved qualifications in Additional Supply (AS), Supplementary Prescribing (SP) and/or Independent Prescribing (IP) categories.

The new Requirements, effective from 1 January 2022, can be seen below:

• Requirements for Approved Qualifications in Additional Supply (AS), Supplementary Prescribing (SP) and/or Independent Prescribing (IP)

Applying for, or adapting, to the new requirements

If you are seeking to gain approval or to adapt an existing qualification in AS, SP and/or IP, please first contact the Education Team via education@optical.org to discuss the process and for further information.

All the documents and associated forms and templates that you will need for this process are available below.

Forms

Seeking GOC approval for a qualification

The merged application form can be used by all prospective providers seeking GOC approval for a qualification, regardless of speciality:

• Merged application form
• Merged application form guidance

Whilst we encourage providers to use the new merged application form, we will still accept submissions using the previous Form 1A, 1B, or 1C versions.   

The previous Form 1B can be found below should prospective providers in Optometry and Dispensing Optics prefer to complete this version:

• Form 1B New qualification approval application

Adapting an existing GOC approved qualification

The merged adaptation form can be used by all providers looking to submit their qualification adaptation, regardless of profession or speciality:

• Merged adaptation form 
• Merged adaptation form guidance

Whilst we encourage providers to use the new merged adaptation form, we will still accept submissions using the previous Form 2A, 2B, or 2C versions.  

The previous Form 2B can be found below should existing providers of currently approved qualifications in Optometry or Dispensing Optics prefer to complete this version:

• Form 2B Notification of adaptation (for existing providers)

Declaration of Closure Form 

To ensure the Education department have a clear understanding and oversight of provider plans for all existing handbook qualifications, we will now be asking you to complete a Declaration of Closure form. This has been developed with the expectation that providers will complete the form to evidence their plans for teaching out any iterations of a qualification(s) that will not be adapted to the ETRs. This form will also be available for you to complete for the closure, suspension or teaching out of any qualifications and not just for those adapting. 

• Declaration of Closure form
• Declaration of Closure form guidance

Evidence Framework

The Evidence Framework provides guidance for providers of approved qualifications, Education Visitors, the GOC Education Team and decision-makers:

• GOC Evidence Framework April 2022 

Templates

The following are a series of submission templates, designed to support current or prospective providers of GOC-approved qualifications to record and submit evidence to demonstrate how they meet, or intend to meet, the Standards for Approved Qualifications and Outcomes for Approved Qualifications outlined in the Requirements (January 2022):

• GOC templates library
• GOC Template 1 - Introduction
• GOC Template 2 - Criteria Narrative
• GOC Template 3 - Qualification Diagram
• GOC Template 4 - Assessment Strategy
• GOC Template 5 - Module outcome map
• GOC Template 6 - Outcomes Narrative
• GOC Template 7 - List of Supplementary Documentation
• GOC Template 8 - Programme History

Decision form

This form will be used internally by the GOC to track decisions for qualifications seeking to gain GOC approval. This applies to new qualifications and existing qualifications being adapted to the new requirements:

• Decision form