In focus: GOC opts to slow down CET reforms

Modernising continuing education within optics is proving to be a more time-consuming task than expected.

Last week, the General Optical Council shelved plans for a one-year transition period before a new scheme is introduced, allowing for more time.

Now it will revert to another three-year cycle between 2019-21 but promised ‘significant changes’ from 2022.

During a council meeting where the turnaround was agreed, members were in wide agreement that CET needed to be more about professional development than box ticking and point scoring. There was also concern that around 6,000 registrants are still yet to complete enough points for the current cycle, ahead of the December 31 deadline (see table 1).