The General Optical Council (GOC) has approved updated Standards of Practice for Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians, Standards for Optical Students, and Standards for Optical Businesses, which will come into effect on 1 January 2025.
The updated standards were informed by a period of consultation, feedback from which has been used “to improve the clarity, brevity, and legal alignment of the updated Standards”, stated the regulator – adding that language had been changed in certain areas “to ensure the standards are adaptable and remain relevant over the next years”.
The key changes address:
• Delivering better care for patients in vulnerable circumstances
• Requiring registrants to identify themselves and their role and advise patients who will provide their care
• Maintaining appropriate professional boundaries, including prohibiting conduct of a sexual nature with patients
• Promoting better workplace cultures by explicitly referencing inclusive behaviour between colleagues and ensuring employers support staff who have experienced discrimination, bullying or harassment in the workplace
• Keeping updated on developments in digital technologies and applying professional judgement when utilising the data they generate to inform decision making
• Maintaining confidentiality when sharing patient images online
• Demonstrating leadership in practice, for example by supporting the education and training of others
In response to consultation requests for further details on certain new standards, the GOC plans to issue supplementary guidance on the care of patients and vulnerable circumstances, and maintaining appropriate sexual boundaries to address these requests.