College urges remaining OOs to join CET scheme

The letter means that all General Optical Council registered opt- ometrists in the UK have now been formally invited to join the College's CET scheme. In a letter sent in the past week, the College points out that 2,800 optometrists are already taking part in its CET scheme, which started last year. Those participating will be required to achieve 30 credits over a three-year period. Also enclosed is the College CET handbook and diary which outlines why the College is running the scheme and how it works. 'Please read the diary carefully,' the letter reads, '[it] should be used as your personal record of CET achieved.' Last year, the General Optical Council swung its support behind moves to make CET compulsory in the profession (optician, News, November 20 1998). In its evidence this week to the Government's Health Select Committee, the Federation of Ophthalmic & Dispensing Opticians stated that CET, 'to a basic standard' should be a condition of continuing registration (see 'FODO backs mandatory CET', page 5).