Council encouraged by rise in CET compliance

Just 1 per cent of optical professionals failed to meet their CET points target for the 2010-12 points cycle - fewer than in the previous period.

The General Optical Council said it had removed 187 practitioners from its registers for failing to reach the 36-point target before a shortfall period ending last month. This was fewer than the 191 removed in 2010, despite the GOC register growing by around 8 per cent in that time.

A total of 19,305 individuals and 2,089 bodies corporate successfully renewed their registration this year, but the GOC also removed 144 registrants from its registers who failed to apply for retention in time. In addition, 309 individuals and 30 businesses withdrew voluntarily.