A n increase in the number of optometrists who worked beyond their hours in the last year has been revealed in a survey commissioned by the General Optical Council (GOC).
The regulator found 57% worked beyond their hours in the past 12 months, which was up from 40% in 2021. Optometrists were more likely to be working beyond their hours (60%) or finding it difficult to provide patients with the sufficient level of care they need (34%) when compared to other registration types.
The GOC commissioned Enventure Research to survey its registrants on their experiences of working in clinical practice. It received 4,102 responses, which represented a 14% response rate, and was conducted between March 22 and April 26, 2022.
Steve Brooker, director of regulatory strategy at the GOC, said: ‘The GOC’s registrant survey provides a unique snapshot of the views and perceptions of the optical workforce. We’ve added new questions this year in partnership with sector bodies and hope the findings will assist workforce planning efforts.
‘While it is encouraging to see job satisfaction improving since last year, clearly there remain challenges for the sector to tackle, with significant minorities of respondents finding it difficult to cope with workloads and provide patients with a sufficient level of care.
‘We are pleased to see that four in 10 registrants plan to develop new skills and gain further qualifications, suggesting the profession is keen to play a key role in serving a wider range of eye health needs.’
Working conditions
The majority (88%) who responded to the survey said they were working or employed and, of those, 50% worked full-time (35 hours or more per week) and 50% worked part-time (fewer than 35 hours per week). Optometrists were more likely to work part-time, particularly locums, as well as those aged 55+, and female respondents.
The average number of hours worked in a typical week was 30.2 and the average number of hours worked per setting was: 26.5 hours at independents and at national chains; 22.5 hours at regional chains; 20.2 hours in hospitals; 17.7 hours in domiciliary settings; and 20.3 hours in education and academia. A large proportion of respondents worked in multiple settings.
When asking about working conditions, 41% of respondents felt unable to cope with their workload, which included those who worked in multiples, hospital, education and academia, and full-time workers. There were registrants who found it difficult to provide patients with the sufficient level of care they needed (31%) and 9% planned to take a leave of absence due to stress.
Satisfaction increases
However, survey respondents were largely satisfied (62%) with their role or job over the past 12 months, which was up by 4% compared to 2021, while 21% were dissatisfied. Student dispensing opticians, full-time workers, those in hospital, domiciliary or education and academia settings were more likely to be satisfied, as well as those involved in enhanced services and people who lived in Wales. Dissatisfaction was higher among optometrists and locums, those who worked for a multiple and people who lived in London.
The GOC found the key drivers of satisfaction were enjoying work or finding it rewarding and delivered varied or interesting work. Those who said they were dissatisfied cited increasing workloads and pressure, poor pay or lack of financial reward, commercial pressure and feeling underappreciated as the main reasons.
Plans for the future
The GOC asked about plans for the future and 40% said they would gain additional qualifications, which included larger proportions of optometrists, student dispensing opticians, those who worked in a hospital, or in education and academia, full-time workers, locums and those involved in enhanced services. Those who wanted to upskill said they wanted to deliver better care and help more patients, expand the scope of practice and deliver more services, or progress their career and increase opportunities available to them.
Some respondents planned to reduce their hours (27%), particularly optometrists, those who worked at a multiple, full-time workers, locums and those involved in enhanced services. Reasons for doing so related to stress, burnout and fatigue, as well as improving work-life balance, or were in relation to workload, pressure and targets.
Only 15% planned to leave the profession, which was down from 26% in 2021, while 10% planned to retire, 8% considered switching to locum work and 6% planned to take a career break.
