Outlook for 2016 in optics

Optician begins the year by asking some key figures from optical associations about the important issues facing the profession as it moves into the New Year

Q: New Standards of Practice come into force in April 2016 – how should practitioners best prepare themselves?

A: Marcus Dye, acting head of education and standards, General Optical Council:

'The standards are designed to support registrants by providing more detail about what we expect of them.

'There are not many brand new requirements, the biggest change being the ‘duty of candour’, which is an expectation of all healthcare professionals. This will require registrants to be open and honest with their patients when things have gone wrong and a patient has suffered harm or distress, or where there may be implications for future patient care. We will produce more detailed guidance on this topic in 2016.