Everybody's professional lives have been changed by the compulsory CET scheme — and now there is a chance to change it.
The General Optical Council has announced that it will consult practitioners and the optical professions about making changes to its Continuing Education and Training rules.
Optometrists and dispensing opticians are being given the opportunity to make their views heard via an online survey, which will be open for three weeks from today (21 October). The survey will be available via a link from the GOC homepage, www.optical.org and the Council is encouraging all its registrants to take part.
The Council's deputy registrar and director of education, Dian Taylor, said: 'The compulsory scheme has been in place for a relatively short period of time. It might seem rather soon to do a review, but we have to make some adjustments because the current rules contain provisions that only apply to the transitional, first period.
'They need to be taken out for the next scheme which will come into effect from January 2007, and that gives us an opportunity to ask some questions about what the professions would like to see happen in the longer term.'
The review will focus on policy issues raised by the advisory panel, which includes representatives of the optical bodies. One example is the question 'CET or CPD?' which asks whether the objective should be to maintain entry-level skills, or encourage participants to enhance their level of practice.
The review will not look at process, which the panel felt was not yet 'bedded down'.
Rosie Varley, GOC chairman, said: 'We are keen to engage during the review period with all stakeholders, so that we can work together towards achieving a really excellent scheme. That way, we can make the most of the benefits of continuing education for both the professions and the public.'
Everybody's professional lives have been changed by the compulsory CET scheme — and now there is a chance to change it.