After proposing changes to the way students are registered (News 19.07.13), the General Optical Council has reported a 2 per cent rise in the number of student optometrists and dispensing opticians that met the July 15 retention deadline.
A total of 89.9 per cent met the deadline, compared to 87.6 per cent in 2012. The GOC said the figures meant that student retention levels had increased for the third year in a row since the introduction of the regulator’s online system, MyGOC.
Philip Hallam, GOC head of registration, said the regulator was ‘very pleased’ with the figures.
A total of 437 students missed the retention deadline, down from 548 the previous year. They must now pay an extra £10 late application charge on top of the £20 fee. Those who do not apply by August 31 will be removed from the registers.
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