Standards for Optical Businesses

Why is this standard necessary?

Optical businesses have a responsibility to ensure that staff are adequately supervised, where appropriate, and staff have a key role to play in the formal supervision of pre-registration students as part of the education pathway. It is important to make sure that all staff – regulated or not – have access to the supervision and support they need to provide good patient care. The standards for supervision and delegation arrangements are set out in Standard 9 of the Standards of Practice for Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians. The GOC supervision policy for pre-registration students is set out in the GOC quality assurance handbooks. To achieve this, your business:

3.3.1 Ensures that only staff with sufficient levels of qualification and experience act as supervisors, and require them to be in a position to oversee the work undertaken and ready to intervene if necessary to protect patients.

3.3.2 Ensures that all staff members involved in the delegation and supervision of clinical tasks are aware who retains overall clinical responsibility for the patient.

3.3.3 Monitors progress of new staff in meeting the requirements of their role.

3.3.4 Has appropriate systems in place to address and manage poor clinical and professional performance.

3.3.5 Ensures that students have protected time for supervised learning, where the business has entered into an agreement to provide clinical training in practice as part of the education pathway.

3.3.6 Provides students with information about who to speak to in the practice if they have an issue or query.

3.3.7 Provide support for staff who have experienced discrimination, bullying, or harassment in the workplace.