GOC briefs

Retention update
Up to 1,000 retention forms are outstanding a week after the March 15 deadline - including many registrants who pay by direct debit, whose registration cannot be renewed without a signed application.

The Council will 'make every effort' to process forms received until March 31.

'Anyone who fails to renew their registration by the end of the month will not be included in the registers from April 1,' said a spokeswoman. 'They will need to submit a restoration application to continue to practise.'

Insightful open day
The GOC will host an 'Open Day' in June to give potential candidates for its Council an insight into members' roles.

Opinionated practitioners are being invited to join the Council for 2007, as current elected members' term of office ends on December 31 2006.
Nominations will open this summer before the election in November. Chairman Rosie Varley said: 'You don't need any specific experience. It is more important for professional members to have a good knowledge of clinical matters in optometry or dispensing.'

Under budget
Yesterday the GOC discussed its business plan and budget for 2006-07. The Council has managed to emerge under budget despite no increase in fees. It is estimated that the GOC's legal services department will spend 245,000 on investigations in 2006-07.

Student forms
Retention forms for students will be posted next week. They will receive a letter encouraging them to return the form and payment straight away in case the form is mislaid before the September 1 deadline.

Anyone who pays now but does not continue with their course in the autumn will be given a refund of the 20, so there is no disadvantage for those who respond early.