News from Council - 24 June 2026
The General Optical Council (GOC) held its second meeting of the year on 24 June 2026.
Consultation on proposed draft updated statement on the testing of sight approved
Council approved a consultation on a draft updated statement on the testing of sight and draft revisions to the supervision/delegation standard in the Standards of Practice for Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians and the Standards for Optical Students.
Following its 2022 call for evidence on the Opticians Act and associated policies, the GOC made a commitment to reviewing its 2013 statement on the testing of sight and its positions on pre- and post-screening checks and the separation of sight test components. Council considered an initial draft updated statement at its December 2025 meeting, offering improvements and amendments that have since been incorporated.
In their discussion, Council highlighted the significant developments within eye care over the past thirteen years. This transformation, both within the workforce and through technological advancements, mean the 2013 position statement no longer reflects current practice. Council emphasised the safety gaps this creates and the public protection risk of failing to update the 2013 statement.
Delegation on parts of the sight test
The proposed updated statement confirms that an optometrist may delegate some parts of the sight test to a suitably trained person, provided the optometrist remains in overall control of the process and oversees the tasks being carried out. This position has been supported through engagement with professional experts where there was consensus that certain pre- and post-screening check elements can be effectively and safely delegated to dispensing opticians or appropriately trained non-registrants.
Tasks such as intraocular pressure tests and visual field assessments are already commonly performed by trained support staff, freeing up optometrists to focus on clinical decision-making and patient care. The proposed statement would not change the duties and responsibilities of the optometrist, but reinforce their central role in sight testing and better reflect modern clinical practice.
Separation by time, person, and/or place
Legislation permits separation of the sight test components by time, person, and/or place, and does not restrict the types of equipment, products, or technology used when carrying out a sight test. New formats of sight testing have emerged in recent years, most notably teleoptometry. This has brought both excitement over the opportunities for improving access to care and concerns over the potential long-term implications for the optical professions. The GOC has published research with optical professionals and with patients and the public, convened a stakeholder roundtable, and observed teleoptometry in practice to better understand the current use of this sight testing format and its effects on wider contemporary practice.
The proposed updated statement outlines a broad regulatory framework within which registrants can choose to innovate responsibly, whilst also reducing risks to patients. It seeks to address these key risks by introducing safeguards covering the role of clinical audit, staff training, assessing suitability of patients based on risk, patient choice and consent, and considering patients in vulnerable circumstances. As with the proposals on delegation, the statement reinforces the central role of the optometrist by specifying that clinical responsibility for the patient and for all patient care remains with the optometrist conducting the sight test.
The consultation will be published in July and run for 14 weeks.
Fitness to practise unfair outcomes research finds EDI characteristics and FtP outcomes are not linked
Council discussed the findings of an independent analysis of the GOC’s fitness to practise outcomes. The research was commissioned in March 2024, with the aim of building a knowledge base and improving transparency.
Dr Gareth Davies (Medistat Limited), an independent statistician with experience supporting UK health regulators, analysed outcomes of all three of the fitness to practise stages – triage, investigations, and hearings. The analysis covers outcomes from the five-year period 2020 – 2024.
The research found little evidence of meaningful disproportionality in fitness to practise outcomes. Where statistically significant differences were identified, these were primary associated with ‘prefer not to say’ (PNTS) responses rather than specific protect characteristic groups. The analysis instead found case characteristics to be a stronger predictor of outcome.
Dr Davies also provided a set of recommendations to the GOC. This includes improving the quality and completeness of EDI data, particularly by reducing the numbers of PNTS responses, and conducting a further review in the coming years after more data has been collected.
Council also approved a new external communications strategy and member code of conduct, subject to minor amendments. It also discussed findings from the Optical Consumer Complaints Service (OCCS) annual report 2025-26. The OCCS is a free and independent mediation service for consumers (patients) of optical care and the professionals providing that care.
