GOC removes 199 students

Fewer than 5 per cent of student optometrists and dispensing opticians had to be removed from the General Optical Council's (GOC) registers after they failed to meet the 2012-13 registration deadline.

The GOC removed 199 students in total - 18 less than last year and 187 less than in 2010, the final year before the introduction of online retention.

GOC head of registration Philip Hallam said: 'For the small minority who failed to renew, the impact is serious. They cannot now continue their course until they have restored to the registers and will have to pay an extra £20 on top of their annual registration fee.'