In a letter to all of its assessors, seen by Optician, the College of Optometrists has asked that they explain the consequences of cheating to their students by highlighting the recent cases of Umar Abbas (News, Optician January 23) and Nicholas Skillicorn (see below).
After being found guilty of misconduct, Abbas was fined £3,000, while Skillicorn was fined £1,000 and suspended for three months.
Jo Mullin, the College's director of education, also said that all supervisors had been written to requesting they talk to their trainees about the seriousness of the cases and about 'what it means to be a professional'.
She also asked them to reiterate to their trainees that the authenticity of the evidence they provide would be checked, with suspected cases of cheating referred to the General Optical Council.
The College's letter said it welcomed the outcomes of the GOC's fitness to practise inquiries into the allegations of dishonesty by Abbas and Skillicorn. Mullin said of the guilty verdicts: 'The College supports the GOC's view that dishonesty of this kind is a matter of utmost seriousness. Cheating cannot be tolerated at any stage of the pre-registration assessments.'