Proposed new legislation giving European professionals rights to temporary and occasional registration in the UK sparked lively debate at the GOC meeting held in Chandos House, London, last week.
Members voiced concerns that the European Qualifications Directive would risk patient safety as European practitioners would not be subjected to UK CET requirements and it wasn't clear whether the GOC would be able to refuse registration if they lacked insurance cover.
Chairman Rosie Varley said she thought the proposals posed 'huge issues of patient safety'.
The definition of temporary and occasional registration would need to be decided on a case-by-case basis and deputy registrar and director of education Dian Taylor said that it wouldn't be possible to monitor practitioners' activity during their stay.
While European practitioners would be required to undertake an aptitude test, GOC registrar Peter Coe pointed out that they would be free to retake them again and again which the Council would have to pay for.
Jon Levett, GOC director of standards, also questioned the issue of language when employing European professionals. When asked to speculate on the numbers of professionals expected to apply, Taylor said: 'We don't know yet although in other professions it ranges from 20-30 a year.'
Optometrist Donald Cameron speculated that the ruling might enable students who hadn't passed qualifications in the UK to finish their training abroad and return to practise here.
Boots Opticians professional services director David Cartwright added: 'It is the fear of people passing tests and being set free to treat the public that poses a great risk.'
Varley advised that the GOC would write to the Department of Health and the CHRE expressing 'robust concerns'.
Other issues raised at the meeting included support for an early move to an independent adjudication body a framework for optical competencies using best practice from Australia and arrangements for unsuccessful students to re-enter the final year and progress to the pre-reg period on gaining an average pass mark of 50 per cent.