GOC to consult on new CET scheme from 2013

An enhanced continuing education and training (CET) scheme is likely to form the major part of revalidation for optometrists and dispensing opticians from 2013.

The General Optical Council told those attending a consultation event in London last week that it was now looking at how CET could be enhanced to provide the evidence base for revalidation, and targeted to the key risks in optics identified by recent independent research (News focus, 26.02.10).

GOC director of standards Jon Levett stressed that nothing had yet been finalised, although employer appraisal was now unlikely to be used as a basis for revalidation. Director of education Linda Kennaugh said that 96 per cent of registrants had met the minimum CET requirement for the last three-year cycle, and fewer than 200 would be removed from the register on April 1 due to CET failure. Eleven registrants had already met their next CET requirement only three months into the 2010-2012 cycle.