EU openings

Will it be business as usual for the UK optical profession now that the European Union has experienced its biggest enlargement ever, or will there be an influx of practitioners attracted by the UK salaries for optometrists and dispensing opticians?
Going by the General Optical Council's experience to date in terms of numbers of applications, it is very much the former. There have been two enquiries by the equivalent of dispensing opticians qualified in the accession countries Ð one from Poland and the other from the Czech Republic, and two Latvian optometrists have now asked for application forms.
The lack of applications is no great surprise, as Richard Carswell of the Association of Optometrists points out that, in particular, there are very few optometrists in the new states. 'Dispensing opticians from countries like Poland might be attracted to the UK market because of higher salaries,' he says. 'The GOC has the right to consider each application individually. Its task is to judge whether the dispensing optician's qualification is broadly equivalent to that in the UK.' He admits that it is difficult to predict how many DOs would try to work here.
President-elect of the European Council of Optometry and Optics, Bob Chappell, adds: 'What is interesting is the level other countries are at educationally compared to the UK, but as for loads of people flooding through the doorway the reality is, not a lot.
'The likelihood of people coming to practise is pretty remote in terms of optometry, as the standard is not the same. In many of the countries, optometry is aspired to as opposed to recognised by law, with the education still being developed.'
He explains that, as the standards are raised, so too will those for dispensing opticians, but the main impact of more countries joining the EU is that it is going to help in terms of getting optometry recognised in central and eastern Europe.
If there is any truth to the rumour that the UK faces a shortage of dispensing opticians, as opposed to the position where there was a shortfall of optometrists, then perhaps some of the optical groups may be inclined to look to the new member states.
As Chappell explains, there are refracting opticians in a number of the new member countries, some of whom are recognised, some not. 'In some ways they are equivalent to UK dispensing opticians, or a bit better in terms of refraction, but, in terms of dispensing, they do not reach the UK's high standards.'
With regard to the different qualifications, standards and optical professions in the existing EU countries prior to May 1, it is interesting to note the recent figures of those who have sought recognition. In the calendar year 2003, the GOC registered 17 optometrists and three DOs through the directives for mutual recognition of qualifications within the EU.
This happens through the first (89/48/EEC) and second (92/51/EEC) EC General Directives. Nationals of a European Union country, like Spain, or a European Economic Area country, like Norway, who hold professional qualifications granted in a EU/EEA state can apply to another EU/EEA member state to have their qualifications recognised for practice there.

Competent authority
Dian Taylor, director of education and deputy registrar of the GOC, explains that, under the Directives, the GOC is the UK 'competent authority' for optics. 'The role of a competent authority is to consider applications under the Directives. For an application under the relevant Directive to be eligible, the profession of optometry/ optics in the state of qualification must be one which is similar to that practised in the UK.'
To apply, members of the 10 new EU states need to complete a GOC application form, under the terms of the Directives. 'The GOC will apply the usual processes to consider their eligibility to register and if eligible, to consider what, if any deficiencies exist in their optical education and training.'
The GOC has four months from receipt of the information to make a judgment and inform the applicant of any deficiencies. If it identifies a substantial difference between the applicant's education and training and the UK requirements, then the individual will need to pass an aptitude test or undergo an adaptation period. The latter is a specified period of supervised practice in the UK, which can include further study and be subject to assessment. The applicant can choose which method they prefer to make good the difference and arrange this, subject to approval by the GOC.
Taylor adds that the Directives have not changed as a result of the recent enlargement, but the volume of applications through the Directives may be different.
'We cannot predict what, if any, increase in volume will occur, so for the time being it will be business as usual at the GOC. If experience after May is substantially different, then the GOC will take whatever steps necessary to deal with any change in volume.'