The GOC’s approach to education The GOC sets the standards of education, which describe the skills and knowledge which students must gain in order to become registered as an optometrist or dispensing optician. These standards are currently expressed as competencies. For optometrists the competencies are divided into the stage 1 competencies (which students must be able to achieve by the end of their academic education and which are assessed largely in the written examinations of the university programmes); and stage 2 competencies (which students must be have achieved by the end of the scheme for registration.) The exception to this is in relation to the currently small number of programmes where students’ pre-registration training is integrated into the university course, in which case students will be expected to achieve both the stage 1 and stage 2 competencies by the end of their academic education. As well as looking at the content of education programmes, which we consider below, we would like to hear views on the current competency model of education and whether there is evidence to suggest that other approaches to education, and the assessment of clinical skills and abilities, could be more effective. It is necessary to bear in mind, however, that as the regulator we need to be able to gain assurance that our standards of education are appropriate and consistent. We would also like to hear views on the requirements that we impose on education providers. These requirements are set out in our handbooks for optometry, dispensing, contact lenses and independent therapeutic prescribing. We are keen to ensure that education providers have the flexibility to respond to developments in educational practice and provide students with a high-quality learning experience. We also recognise that education providers should be judged on the basis of the outcomes they achieve and that imposing too many specific requirements about how education should be delivered can be counter-productive. Consultation question 6 – What are your views on the GOC’s approach to the accreditation and quality assurance of education programmes, including on whether this is an appropriate focus on outcomes and on the use of the competency model to set the standards of education? We also wish to seek views on the role the GOC should play in regulating higher qualifications. At present, we accredit and quality assure only those higher qualifications that lead to registration, i.e. qualifications that relate to contact lenses or therapeutic prescribing. There is a now wide range of
Consultation question 3 - How are the roles of optometrists and dispensing opticians likely to change over the next 20 years, and what are the drivers for these changes? Consultation question 4 – How should the education of optometrists and dispensing opticians be structured to enable continuing professional development throughout their careers, e.g. core training followed by general or specialist practice? Consultation question 5 – What are the implications for the GOC register of likely changes in roles and will the existing distinctions between registrant groups remain appropriate? GOC’s approach to education Consultation question 6 – What are your views on the GOC’s approach to the accreditation and quality assurance of education programmes, including on whether this is an appropriate focus on outcomes and on the use of the competency model to set the standards of education? Consultation question 7 – Should the GOC accredit and quality assure additional or different higher qualifications and if so, on what basis? Content of education programmes Consultation question 8 – What are the core skills, knowledge and behaviours which optometrists will need to have on first joining the register in the future? Consultation question 9 – How should the content and delivery of optometry programmes change to ensure that students gain the skills, knowledge and behaviours that they will require for practice and for new roles in the future? Consultation question 10 – How might post-registration training and registrable higher qualifications for optometrists need to change in the future? Consultation question 11 – What are the core skills, knowledge and behaviours which dispensing opticians will need to have on joining the register in the future? Consultation question 12 – How should the content of dispensing programmes change to ensure that students gain the skills, knowledge and behaviours that they will require for practice and for new roles in the future? Consultation question 13 – How might post-registration training and registrable higher qualifications for dispensing opticians need to change in the future? Professionalism and consistent standards