GOC seeks new Council members

The General Optical Council (GOC) is seeking to appoint two new members to its Council – one registrant member and one lay (non-registrant) member. Both are paid roles – and the application deadline is 17 November 2024.

With a start date of 1 April 2025, the new members will play a key role in delivering the GOC’s five -year strategic plan to 2030. They will replace lay member, Clare Minchington, and registrant member, Roshni Sharma, who are coming to the end of their eight-year tenures.

The GOC said it was particularly encouraging candidates from diverse background to apply, as it believed that “decision-making is better when there is an inclusivity of thought and lived experience”.

An annual fee of £13,962 is paid monthly to Council members in line with the GOC’s member fees policy and member fee schedule.

The roles are part-time with a commitment of approximately two to three days per month, including time spent preparing for meetings. Most meetings are conducted over Microsoft Teams, although some are held in-person at the GOC’s London office. Members can claim expenses for travel and subsistence costs incurred on council business as set out in its expenses policy.

ABDO CEO, Alistair Bridge, commented: “I really encourage members to consider applying for the registrant vacancy. This is a paid role and, at present, there is only one DO among the six registrant members. There would be real value in having an additional DO on the Council – to highlight the key role that DOs play in optical practice and influence the GOC’s strategy and important issues, such as its approach to setting registrant fees.”

For more information about the role and the recruitment process, and to apply, view the:

• Registrant Council member recruitment: candidate information pack and application form 
• Lay Council member recruitment: candidate information pack and application form

The deadline for applications is midnight on Sunday 17 November 2024.

Appointments commence on 1 April 2025, with initial tenures not exceeding four years. Any queries can be emailed to appointment@optical.org quoting reference GOC05/24.