GOC highlights smooth transition to new training requirements

The General Optical Council (GOC) has released its UK Optical Education 2024 Report, reviewing the education and training of optical students and trainees, along with sector developments. 

The report identified updates to qualifications; risks and challenges in optical education; student diversity; good practices; and ways to improve the GOC’s quality assurance activities. 

A key finding was that the transition to the new education and training requirements (ETR) had progressed well, with all but three GOC approved qualifications having adapted to the ETR by September 2024. 

The report also noted strong interest in optometry qualifications, with steady year 1 cohort sizes. As for admissions to dispensing optics courses, these saw a slight decline in 2023/24, though numbers still significantly exceeded 2020/21 levels.