The College of Optometrists has published updated Guidance for Professional Practice for Optometrists, based on the General Optical Council’s Standards of Practice for Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians.
The guidance is the College’s view of good practice, and includes new sections covering:
Each section is evidence-based and reflects current legislation, to provide optometrists with the up-to-date assistance needed to make good clinical decisions and ensure patient care is always paramount. It is relevant to owner-practitioners, partners, employees and locums, pre-registration optometrists and students; and is applicable in all work environments, including multiple practices, independent practices and hospitals, and to both NHS and privately funded services.
The updated 2023 edition, ‘Good Practice Better Care’, is the fourth edition of the guidance. It contains four new sections, covering:
Significant updates have also been made to several pre-existing sections. These include:
Daniel Hardiman-McCartney, lead clinical adviser at the College of Optometrists, said: “The fourth edition has many updates and contains new sections that enable optometrists to innovate the ways eye care can be delivered, whilst still ensuring good practice and protecting the public. The review process has been a collaborative endeavour, with representatives from all nations, stakeholders, individual experts, clinicians and patients represented.”