Honest feedback from student registrants has alerted regulators that optical courses are falling short on clinical training.
According to GOC research released last week, 60% of newly qualified optometrists wanted more clinical training before they qualify. Explanations for these results included optometrists feeling the clinical experience they had during their academic study was limited and often did not reflect real-life practice or typical patients.
Meanwhile, a lower number of 26% of newly qualified dispensing opticians felt as though the clinical experience they received during their studies was insufficient. This percentage difference was thought to be due to many dispensing optician students working while they study, so they can apply their learning in a practical way.
Gareth Hadley, chair of the GOC, said: ‘We already know from our recent Concepts and Principles public consultation that most stakeholders want to see more enhanced clinical experience for student optometrists and dispensing opticians. We now learn that newly qualified registrants, and particularly optometrists, recognise that they would have benefitted from more clinical experience during their education both to support patient care and their development as optical professionals.
‘We cannot ignore the breadth of support for earlier clinical experience for students in order to improve patient care and safety. I echo my previous call to action urging education providers, employers and professional associations to come together to ensure this is realised.’
The clinical experience section of the GOC’s survey showed, however, that three-quarters of newly qualified practitioners said the amount of clinical experience they received during the entire period of education and training, including the pre-registration year, was about right, and 25% said it was too little. Some also suggested that there was a limited amount of complex patient cases in practice during study.
The Federation of Ophthalmic and Dispensing Opticians (FODO) supported the findings and said they echoed the experiences of its members.
David Hewlett, chief executive of FODO, said: ‘We absolutely agree with the GOC that our professionals of the future need more clinical training throughout their education. It will be important that these findings are reflected as the GOC takes forward the Strategic Education Review.’
FODO members fund and provide most of the training that dispensing opticians undertake and provide the vast majority of pre-registration training for optometrists, but it also recognises that they need to look at what more can be done.
Hewlett added: ‘We are already working with universities to expand direct practice-based contact with patients and clinical work from year one. This is likely to be the model in the new schools of vision sciences we are establishing. Both professions have a bright future building on our strengths of putting the individual at the heart of all we do as we move up the skills ladder.’
In further response to the findings, Clive Marchant, president of the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO), stated he was ‘encouraged’ by 74% of dispensing opticians being satisfied with the level of clinical experience that they receive during training.
Marchant said: ‘The training pathway for a dispensing optician can be a full-time course but the majority of students undertake a three-year distance learning diploma or degree course. It is the blended learning over three years which prepares the student for life after qualification. All students are working in optical practices for a minimum of 30 hours per week which enables them to gain experience and confidence in all aspects of their work.’
He noted that in contrast, optometrists have very little exposure to real patients and optical practice until their pre-registration year.
Marchant believed that in order to increase the skills and confidence in students, ‘a blended learning education programme for all dispensing opticians and optometrists’ should be put into place, as well as the supervising registrant being adequately trained in supervision and the expectations of the student and education provider.
‘Currently a dispensing optician or optometrist can supervise a student dispensing optician. One must question how an optometrist can supervise from the consulting room and do they have sufficient knowledge to supervise in all aspects of dispensing?’ Marchant added. He also pointed out that ‘many student dispensing opticians are mature students who have worked in practice for many years as optical assistants.’ This can provide invaluable confidence, in contrast to the many optometrist students embarking on their degree programme who have come straight from college or school education.
The research further highlighted that 58% of newly qualified optical practitioners are either unsure or do not agree that their education and training has adequately equipped them to work in a hospital setting. Some believed their lack of confidence was due to the insufficient experience, education and training they received in secondary care settings during their studies.
Hadley added: ‘High street optometry is becoming more clinical, which presents a real opportunity for optical practitioners to deliver new healthcare services locally and more quickly to patients, as well as to alleviate pressures from patient demand on hospital eye services.
‘We know from our widespread engagement with the sector that registrants are keen to play a role in providing enhanced optical services on the high street, but we also understand that optical practitioners may need additional training and support to be able to work across both primary care and hospital settings.’
He explained that the GOC was keen to work alongside stakeholders within the optical sector to address the challenges in ensuring all eye services receive the necessary support. The regulator also wanted to ensure that ‘optical students are receiving the education and training necessary to prepare them for their future roles’ and highlighted that 89% of survey respondents agree that the optical education and training they received provided them with the ability to develop an optical career.
Meanwhile, training seems to be improving, as those who qualified in 2017 are more likely to agree that they received adequate training when compared to those who qualified between 2012 and 2015.
The survey also uncovered that 14% of optometrists felt their time during the entire period of education and training was too short, compared to 1% of dispensing opticians.
‘We must ensure that education keeps pace with the rapid changes we are seeing in the delivery of eye care and prepares students for their future roles,’ added the GOC.