AOP responds to GOC’s draft five-year strategy

The AOP has offered its general support to the General Optical Council’s draft strategy for 2025–2030, with concerns in certain areas highlighted.

The strategy focuses on three key objectives: creating fairer and more inclusive eye care services, supporting responsible innovation and protecting the public, and preventing harm through agile regulation.

It also covers continuous improvement across the GOC’s statutory functions, including approving qualifications, managing fitness to practice, and maintaining registers.

A consultation on the proposals was opened in April this year.

The AOP’s feedback was collated after discussion with its Policy Committee and with Council members.

The educational aspects of the strategy are key areas where improvements could be made, the association said.

Feedback included the need for increased clarity on the proposed post-registration qualification registrar, which would see the GOC take on more responsibility in this area, and on the reformation of the continued professional development (CPD) system.

Members expressed concern over the number of hours spent on completing modules alongside additional administrative burdens, the AOP said.

However, the AOP noted that members had spoken positively about the new requirement for a personal development plan (PDP), which was introduced at the start of the current CPD cycle in 2022.

The PDP is viewed as a “welcome addition” and “key to structuring a practitioner’s learning,” the AOP shared.

The potential for CPD to focus more on non-optical skills, such as management, leadership, equality and diversity, and legal topics, was also noted.

Quality of future data

The association emphasised that the gathering of data for research and insight purposes should be undertaken thoroughly, with wider sector collaboration.

This is required in order to ensure that information gathered “is beneficial and with a clear purpose to tackle health inequalities in eye care,” the AOP said.

The association emphasised that data gathered on health inequalities should include ethnic, socio-demographic and geographical, with a “view to how they affect patient access to services” and “for the purpose of improving eyecare services all over the UK – not only for highlighting it.”

A commitment in the strategy to working with the wider sector to reduce the inequalities highlighted is “strongly recommended” and the AOP would be keen to collaborate on any future work on this, the association said.

The feedback noted that “the widening societal health gap” will mean increased complexity in this area.

Centering registrant need

Another key focus of the strategy was the prevention of harm through increasingly agile regulation.

The association praised the regulator’s work in this area during the pandemic, whilst emphasising the need “to keep registrants’ needs and wants at heart” as a more flexible ethos is embedded.

“As we live in ever changing times, a more proactive and flexible approach to regulation is welcomed, but it should not come at the cost of being evidence-based and [should] maintain full accountability and transparency,” the AOP noted.

“There are potential risks involved in decisions being made too quickly [and] without all of the relevant information,” the feedback added.

The AOP requested that the regulator provide a clear and concise definition of ‘agile’ as it finalises its strategy.

It also highlighted the challenge of keeping on top of regulatory shifts for those returning from career breaks.

The GOC needs to consider what data it would be collecting and why, the AOP said.

The association added that it would be 'broadly supportive’ if data was necessary to inform decisions on the size and qualifications of the future profession.

Clarity on finances

The regular should expand on the financial planning and resourcing of its objectives as part of the development of its strategy, the AOP advised.

It was noted that suggested activities to implement the three objectives will be dependent on funding levels.

AOP members felt that they could not endorse aspects of the strategy without fully understanding the funding implications, the association said.

A “cross-referenced caveat to weave through the objectives that note funding implications wherever appropriate” would ease registrants’ concerns over how their fees are being utilised and would help to avoid negative perception of the strategy, the AOP advised.

The association also noted that the GOC’s income has ‘demonstrably increased’ in recent years, and has requested a formal value for money review over the coming strategy period.

The AOP welcomed the opportunity to liaise with the GOC on its strategy and to provide comments, the association added.

The AOP’s full response to the GOC’s draft strategy for 2025–2030 can be read on the association’s website.